


That Time I Was Reincarnated Into a Pokemon Protagonist?!

by Beach_Episode



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions
Genre: Coming of Age, Isekai, Nuzlocke Challenge, Personal Growth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2020-05-15 11:49:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 51,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19295143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beach_Episode/pseuds/Beach_Episode
Summary: This is a work of love, death, depression, and Pokemon. Please enjoy <3.





	1. The Burrito I Was Destined To Be

It’s all pretty boring, isn’t it?

Even as I lie in bed, with a girlfriend who loves me, hearing her heartbeat… I find myself thinking of other worlds.

“Okay… But why would you make Pokemon more violent than it already is?” Kate didn’t get it. In her defense, she tried to understand what made it interesting. But she just didn’t care enough.

I could explain rules, “well you see”, but I couldn’t make her care.

“I guess I don’t really care for the enhanced violence as much,” I swallowed, felling the awkward lump in my throat travel along her stomach. “But, it’s the sense of urgency,” I glanced up towards Kate but turned back away when I failed to take her gaze from the textbook she was now parsing. “The sense of camaraderie.”

“Yeah,” she replied absent-mindedly grabbing a pencil that she had behind her ear and hastily circling a passage I couldn’t see from all the way down here. “No,” she began to try to correct as soon as she realized she hadn’t been listening.

“It’s okay, I know this kind of thing is boring to you.” I replied; it was my own stupid way of pushing a boundary I knew I shouldn’t be pushing.

“Hey.” She uttered, a shiver running down my spine as the puff of wind from her textbook shutting was quickly followed by her warm hands on my cheeks, brining me eye level with her. She was powerful, her pouty, fake-angry glare was enough to melt me then and there. It was playful, but caring. “Anything you care about is not boring to me.” She said, sealing that sentence into place with a kiss that prevented further discussion.

I’m living a really great life; I reminded myself of this as often as I could. Not because I didn’t believe it…

But,

Well.

“Suzy.” She whispered, her breath causing my glasses to fog up and my cheeks to flush. “Get out of your head for two minutes and experience the world around you.”

She was encouraging, everyone saw it that way. This short, unremarkable girl dating a literal model. No one understood it.

Maybe Kate did.

I don’t know.

“I’m going to go make some tea, okay?” Kate said, gently lifting my head up and off her bare stomach, unrolling her tank top to once more meet her teeny pajama shorts.

“Yeah.” I mumbled, bunching up the blankets and sulking back into bed.

As soon as Kate was out of the room, I felt my phone buzz with three short vibrations in a quick burst.

As is a trained reaction from me, my hands scoop the phone from my comforter, as my feet lift themselves up only to plunge back down.

I rolled over twice and quickly became the burrito I was destined to be. My fingers quickly swiped the screen in fervent anticipation. 

Scanning through the words my eyes moistened, reading about the sound of fresh snow underfoot, the loss of a companion, a woman powerful in her own right tucked underneath her blankets just like I was.

But then, I wasn’t powerful at all.

My fingers absently locked my phone again but I just stared directly ahead. The now-powered off-screen revealing my form to me.

I looked like a stranger.

When I was a kid, is this who I thought I’d become?

Of course, I knew the answer to that already. 

I’m not sure why I even aske-

 

…

 

I can’t breathe.  
My body lurches up, or at least I tell it to.  
But a fire spreads through my core and my head splits in three different directions.

 

 

I  
Help.  
Kate.

 

I hear a noise that I’m making, some kind of low screech.

The kettle drowns me out.

 

My vision begins to close in around me.

 

It’s okay. Nothingness isn’t bad or good.

 

I repeat it to myself.

 

I had a good life. Kate loves me.

 

I repeat it to myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t want to….

 

 

 

 

Go.

 

 

 

 

“Wake up hon!”

I shoot out of my bed, standing on two feet fully conscious. 

The carpeted floors feel warm underneath my feet.

But Kate and I don’t have carpeted floors.

Kate hates carpets.

This isn’t my room.

I rush to the window, every piece of information my brain is capable of processing is incorrect. It isn’t right.

I don’t own this shirt, I always sleep with pants on, the window shouldn’t be cold it’s August. There is snow on the ground there shouldn’t be.

But one hint of truth seems to shine through all these factual inaccuracies.

I know this town.

I slowly glance over to my left at the Wii and tube television.

“I can’t be.”

But the red carpet in front of the steps leading down into the kitchen says otherwise.

“It isn’t possible.” I retort to this world, but the blue laptop on the desk beside my television laughs at my pointless protest.

“AM I IN POKEMON PLATINUM?!”


	2. My Life Becomes One Messed Up Venn Diagaram

The eggs before me lay untouched while I watched the older woman glide around the kitchen. She had called me her daughter.  
  
But then, that's what she should do. That was in the game.  
  
I poked at the white and yellow orbs on my plate.  
  
Breakfast wasn’t in the game. At this point I'd attempt to leave the house, get stopped for a brief conversation, and then be allowed to leave to find Barry, or whatever I named that character. But I didn’t get to name that character. I wasn't asked to by Rowan in a tutorial.  
  
His default name should then, reasonably be, Barry.  
  
“Hon, you okay? You’ve barely touched your eggs.” My… Mother noted. The way she moved around the kitchen didn’t feel like programming. She would be washing a plate, glance over towards me and start doing something else. Forgetting she had washed that plate. She laughed when she realized she was forgetting things and made jokes with me.  
  
Glancing out the frost-kissed window the small settlement reveals itself to me. The snows of a tumultuous storm last night, now lay, defeated in their well-worn trenches. The light that manages to push past each layer of the overcast sky weakly shine off the glistening crystal blanket that has enveloped the town and covered it in a coat so elegantly cast.  
  
As this stranger who believe that I am her daughter leans down towards me, I can see the light tirelessly attempt to peer through her hair as it cascades down her cheek.  
  
This doesn’t look like programming to me.  
  
“Really, are you alright?” She asks once more, her pupils scanning over any signs that may point to her what is wrong with her daughter.  
  
“I’m okay.” I managed to cough out with a half-hearted attempt at a chuckle. “I need to go and speak with Barry.” My voice barely above a whisper and audibly anxious.  
  
My mother stopped herself, gently putting the empty cup down and hanging the tablecloth back up. She glanced back at me with a wild look in her eyes. “Did you meet a boy?” She asked, her grin growing exponentially by the minute.  
  
“No.” I started, waving my hands as if embarrassed. If Barry isn’t his name, what was it!? “Sorry, you know who I’m talking about.” I said, trying as hard as I could to appear jovial.  
  
“Oh,” she said, her grin dropping to a much more casual smirk. “You’re talking about Jude-“  
  
“Jude!” I replied instantly, as soon as the name left her lips, I snatched it up, stealing it for my own.  
  
“Yeah…” My mother glanced down at me, her brow furrowing as her doubts surely crept in.  
  
“He’s such an…”  
  
“Annoying…” My mother offered seeing my hesitation.  
  
“Annoying! Guy,” I began to trail off, “I think.” I finished in a hiss as I began to move towards the door.  
  
“Hey it’s cold out, don’t you want your coat? Or your backpack if you’re headed out…”  
  
“Yep!” I shot back, dashing upstairs to find my things, my cheeks surely hot enough to melt the snow outside. This was going to be exhausting.  
  
Finally equipped with my coat, I dug through a backpack that wasn’t my own.  
  
If this was really another world, and not a video game then what happened to the girl whose place I took?  
  
It was difficult to even conceptualize.  
  
But I stopped trying once my fingertips made contact with a laminated card. I knew what it was instantly.  
  
Sure enough, as I pulled it out of the bag: there it was.  
  
Trainer I.D.  
  
  
  
_Susan Langford._  
  
_3, Twinleaf Town._  
  
_40651_  
  
  
  
That was that. Proof. This was tangible, in my hand. I could see where the lamination wasn’t perfect, I can see where the corners are beginning to peel apart.  
  
“I can really do this.”  I quietly whispered to myself, glancing out towards the stairs and seeing my mother, who was eavesdropping on me it seems.  
  
“Do you mean?” She spoke quietly, approaching me somewhat gingerly.  
  
She gently sat herself down, patting down her blouse and scooting closer to me, causing the carpet to get bunched up.  
  
“Of course, you can do this,” her demeanor had changed from before. It was… It was different. Something about this topic had caused her to shift from a casual happy demeanor to one of great importance about me.  
  
“Oh, honey I know you’re scared.” She whispered quietly, her voice shaking, immediately catching me off guard as she wrapped her arms around me, not pulling me in closer but gazing into my eyes.  
  
As I caught the look of her gaze, I felt the telltale tingling sensation in my nose as my eyes gently watered my cheeks.  
  
Why am I crying?  
  
“You are a bastion of perseverance, and courage.” She whispered, her voice growing steadily shakier. “You can do this.”  
  
She finished by pulling me in, tight enough that it is difficult to breathe. Especially with my unsteady breathes, but they’re all I can manage.  
  
But I don’t know why. I have no reason for being upset.  
  
I mean.  
  
I do.  
  
I miss Kate and…  
  
I miss…  
  
“Let’s not talk about it.” The older woman stood up and offered me a hand to stand up.  
  
“You should go get Jude; he’s leaving today as well.” My mother took one last moment to look upon me. Standing unevenly wiping my face with the sleeve of my coat. No doubt she saw not only a girl, but her girl. All of her memories of this girl that I replaced.  
  
I felt bad about it.  
  
I feel bad about it.  
  
Stepping out of my home for the first time is… Strange. I’ve only been in that building with that woman who thinks she is my mother for an hour, maybe two, but it still felt safe.  
  
Feeling the crunch of the snow under my boot, this place was different from what I am used to. It snows in Vancouver, sometimes. But normally it just rains.  
  
Here though.  
  
I stepped into the snow again, feeling it stiffen as my boot crushed it down into a more compact and durable shape.  
  
  
  
_Crunch._  
  
  
  
  
  
_Crunch. Crunch._  
  
  
  
  
  
It didn’t take long before I took off sprinting through the snow. I wasn’t in the greatest shape, and my lungs quickly responded to the increased activity as I felt a cold burning spread through my respiratory system.  
  
This is.  
  
“Incredibl- OOF”  
  
My head hit the ground last with a resounding smack. The back of my head kissing the rigid ice before snapping back up and causing my world to shake and circle.  
  
“Suzy?” A male voice called, I could kind of make out his figure, but the pounding sound of my blood worked to obfuscate my focus. “Suzy you good?”  
  
A hand was the only real clarity I got. I took it and felt myself get pulled up, some of the looser snow on the ground clinging to my clothes as it came with me.  
  
“Hey who ar-“This is Barry. Or, Jude. She called him Jude. As my eyes regained clarity so too did my mind. “Hey, Jude.”  
  
“Hey Suzy, oh my gosh how have you been!?” His eyes illuminated all of a sudden. Whoever this version of Suzy was… She certainly had some baggage.  
  
I steadied my posture and looked him up and down. The boy had messy unbrushed blonde hair that rose in some places due to being laid on and fell in others where it hadn’t. He was wearing a thick wool orange and white striped shirt with a pair of grey paints and a tan messenger bag. His voice was deeper than I expected for Barry.  
  
I had always pictured him as a somewhat rambunctious kid, but he was older in this world. Here I was still eighteen years old, he must’ve been too.  
  
He was distractingly confident, and he had a kind look in his eyes. He was certainly better on the snow than I was already.  
  
“What’re you up to?” He asked, “I haven’t seen you outside in like…” He drifted off once more.  
  
Given my uneasiness talking about a history that I didn’t understand. I didn’t want to continue down that line of conversation. I just needed to keep pressing forward.  
  
“I’m going to start my Pokemon adventure, actually.” I responded, avoiding eye contact once more by pushing my gaze passed Jude and towards the exit into Route 201.  
  
In the games I had played growing up, Rowan would stop the two of us from fighting before setting foot into the tall grass. But here, none of that was certain. The jury was still out on whether this was a programmed experience or not.  
  
Everything but my knowledge of this world.  
  
But maybe, it was a whole other world.  
  
One where I could be free of my own worries.  
  
I noticed that while I was avoiding Jude’s eyesight he hadn’t responded. I glanced back at him and e was standing there, mouth agape eyes in complete disbelief.  
  
“What?” I asked, trying to retrace my steps – trying to figure out where I went wrong.  
  
“You said you’d never become a trainer.” Jude said quietly. I narrowed my eyes at him, confused.  
  
“Why would I say that? It’s what I’ve always wanted!” My voice crackled; my passion reignited. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do!”  
  
Why was I so passionate about this?  
  
“I’m sorry, Suzy.” Jude responded, his demeanor changing quickly, as he shifted on his back foot.  
  
“Let’s just go.” I uttered, grabbing my arm and trudging through the snow.  
  
The evergreen’s that surrounded Twinleaf were different from what I expected. In Platinum, they were uniform. Each one occupying a four-tile square, with two base models. But these were real trees. The branches snapped from where animals, or, I guess Pokemon had rested on them. The snow heavily sat upon the needles, waiting for the straw that would break the camel’s back and cause all the snow to plummet to the ground.  
  
As the town’s entrance gave way to what I recognized as Route 201, I drank in the sights that felt somehow familiar and alien all at once. On my left, a sign that read:  
  
_“RT. 201, South to Twinleaf Town.”_  
  
Directly in front of me was a steep ledge that had been caked in ice from the previous night’s snow. The evergreens surrounded me, revealing a thick wood on almost every end. To the West – Lake Verity, had the snow not been so pronounced I might’ve assumed this was Diamond or Pearl’s iteration of Sinnoh. But it was clear that wasn’t the case.  
  
However as I looked around, in awe of the beauty of the nature that surrounded me – I was somewhat unsure that this truly was Platinum. At all  
  
The strangest thing was I knew this couldn’t be a dream.  
  
Where I had lived, it was a large city. You never heard your own heartbeat, or even your own thoughts.  
  
I had never experienced a town so small that the only noise I could hear was the falling of the snow. Gently laying down on a sheet of a million crystals.  
  
It was something I had never experienced. My assumption wouldn’t have been this most minute noise, it would’ve been that this phenomenon was completely silent.  
  
Yet here it was. I was experiencing something for the first time. Something I couldn’t have known about.  
  
How did this happen?  
  
“Hey, watch where you’re going Suzy.” Jude called out in a much more sycophantic tone. He was trying to forget our previous spat.   
  
Was I already changing this much? I was having a spat with someone I had just met?  
  
“What?” I called out, refocusing my vision as I saw it before me.  
  
“Tall grass.” Jude answered. Pulling up beside me.  
  
“I don’t understand.” I said looking at him. Barry always played the role of the over-eager companion. He was a less subservient May. Why was he so cautious now?  
  
“Children.” A deep voice of a rich coffee like quality resonated through the entrance to Route 201.  
  
As I turned around my eyes widened.  
  
Holy shit this is happening.  
  
“Were you about to step into the tall grass without any kind of Pokemon to protect yourselves?” Of course, he wasn’t really asking. He basically caught us red-handed.  
  
“We can’t do that if you give me a Pokemon.” I said, stepping forward towards Rowan. The man must’ve been in his 60s or so. The man always had something of a resemblance to a Herdier. His facial hair melded into the grey hairs that overran his head. His fashion sense was pretty much what you’d expect from a professor in his 60s.  
  
Two button vest? Check.  
  
Slacks? Check.  
  
Inoffensive shoes? Check.  
  
Tie that matches his trench coat? Weird touch.  
  
“Bold.” Rowan responded, looking me up and down. “You’ve changed Suzy.”  
  
I knew he didn’t know me, not the real me anyway. But the comment was still enough to shake my confidence.  
  
“Professor.” Jude stepped forward, placing his hand on my shoulder, I steadied myself against it. “We’re both ready.” He said flashing a cocky grin towards me that made my heart rise up into my throat.  
  
“Pfft.” Professor Rowan chuckled to himself. “Your youthful energy reminds me of my bygone days.” He said, lifting the briefcase up to his collar-bone, opening it before us.  
  
Within I saw a familiar sight. Three Poke-Balls all glimmering in the sunlight.  
  
Before I could think about the challenge set before me my hand instinctively moved for the Poke-Ball on the far left.  
  
However, I was not expecting any of what I saw next.  
  
A holographic screen appeared in front of my face, what I could only adequately describe as a menu. A litany of information barraged my sense all at once.  
  


_TURTWIG –- Male_

_Pokedex No. 001_

_Name ---TURTWIG_

_Type -- Grass_

_OT -- Suzy_

_ID No. 40651_

 

 

You may no longer catch a Pokemon on Route 201.

“Suzy you okay?” I realized I must’ve frozen as soon as I grabbed the Poke-Ball. I quickly pulled my hand away, Poke-Ball in tow. I glanced at Jude’s face, one of a quiet apprehension. Before I could think of the proper words to say, I took off running towards Lake Verity.  
  
“Susan wait!” Rowan’s powerful voice wasn’t enough to slow me whatsoever I took off, gripping the cold metal of the Poke-Ball, as fast as I could. Pushing past the overhanging branches of the evergreens before making it to the lake proper.  
  
I buckled over quickly my chest rising and falling hard.  
  
When you’re looking at the world top down, you miss a lot of the view often times.  
  
Or at least, that was what I was beginning to learn. I fell backwards colliding with the ground, hard.  
  
My eyes consumed the scenary all at once. It was like something out of a dream. I could see the island in the middle of the lake, the waters coloured purple by the sky and the sun that was now setting. Each wave a cool hand on my psyche, telling me to calm down. The snow was inaudible because of the waves, but it still gently plummeted down onto my form and the trees around me. Once more, gently envelopping me in its grasp. I wanted to look at the Poke-Ball and observe it mroe, but my senses were lulled by the serenity the lake offered me so freely. I could no longer argue with myself.  
  
I was here now.  
  
But, the Poke-Ball in my hand told me otherwise. That was all information you’d get on the summary screen in a Pokemon game. There was one piece that stood out, though. One piece of information you'd never seen in a game.

You may no longer catch a Pokemon on Route 201. 

The red, flashing words appeared when I glanced down at the Poke-Ball along with the other information about the Turtwig. The only reason that rule would matter was a Nuzlocke Challenge.  
  
My entire life had become one messed up Venn diagram. One side was this world was real, another was I'm trapped in a video game. This information didn't fit into either of those circles.  
  
These mixed signals were driving me mad.  
  
But I had one last test I could run.

I pointed the Poke-Ball gingerly in front of me before pausing on the release button.

Once more the menu appeared before me, but the longer I looked, the more information consolidated.

 _Quiet Nature._  
Caught May 9, 2019.

Route 201.

Met at Lv. 5.

Highly Curious

Likes to bite things.  


"You're quiet just like me, huh?" I chuckled softly. 

I sighed to myself, quietly resigning to what I knew I was going to do. My finger tapped the release button, letting go of my trepidation.

A red silhouette gave way to a tiny green sprout just below that, yellow beady eyes looking directly into mine. The brown shell on its back and its small tubby feet slowly waddled towards me, mewing with high-pitched cries.

I have to be in shock, because as I reach my hand forward, I feel as though there is pure electricity coursing through my veins. I gently offer my hand towards it, reaching out to try to cup the tiny monster’s cheek.

It opens its mouth once again; I think to yawn or make more adorable noises. But then it clamps down around my hand, gently.  
  
I feel a pressure hit my chest and I can feel my nostrils fire up as my tear ducts commit to the overtime they have experienced since I arrived here.  
  
“Let’s be friends, okay?”  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ow, ow, hey let go!"


	3. No Wonder He Doesn't Realize I'm Someone Else

“I can’t decide what your name should be.” I groaned as the Turtwig continued to nibble on my ankle. It was more of a personal struggle, a lot of names fit a turtle. I found myself considering some of my favourite Nuzlocke comics. I could be like them and just give them normal people names. I always enjoyed that.  
   
But this wasn’t like those comics, at least I didn’t think it was.   
   
“You can’t talk to me, right?” I asked. Turtwig looked up, he was blinking slowly and waiting for me to continue but when I didn’t, he proceeded with chomping away at my ankle. “Yeah, okay, thanks buddy.” I said. My hand lazily drifted down and rubbed his soft cheek.  
   
“Well if I pick a video game, I’ll have to stick with that video game.” I started to ponder on which games I had played before. Kingdom Hearts was always an option, even if the finale felt a little less full than I would’ve liked. I could always go with Final Fantasy…  
   
“How do you feel about the name Cloud?” I glanced at the Turtwig who cocked his head, my ankle still snapped up in his jaw. I winced as he continued to bite. His teeth aren't sharp but his jaw is powerful. I figured, this was something more akin to gumming than biting, so I let it continue for now. “Nah you’re right, that’s dumb. You’re going to end up being huge, Cloud is kind of a small guy. You’d be more like Barrett or something.”  
   
“Turt.” The small turtle dropped my ankle and waddled into my lap. He propped his front legs onto my shoulders in an attempt to scale my body.  
   
“Would you like that name? Barrett?” I asked, as he finally managed to pull himself up to my shoulders. But his weight and balance were not equally matched and he began to teeter past my back. He fell gently into the snow behind me.  
   
“So Final Fantasy VII is my naming theme, huh?” I whispered quietly to myself in a moment of careful apprehension. Picking Barrett up, I began to notice just how long I’d been here by the snowflakes that threatened to bury me. It must’ve been a few hours, as the sky began to approach sunset quickly.  
   
“Suzy you’re back!” Jude exclaimed, but his jaunt was stopped short due to what he was looking at. “Your Turtwig is on your head.” He looked bemusedly at the Pokemon now riding atop me.  
   
“Yeah, his name’s Barrett,” I start as Barrett begins to chomp on some of my dull auburn hair. “I think he likes it up there.”  
   
“Twiiiiiig.” Barrett quietly coos into my scalp, as he shifts his tiny legs in order to maintain balance.  
   
“Well, I got a Pokemon too.” Jude chuckled, cocking his head to my right. Glancing over, a small Chimchar was running in circles, attempting to melt the snow with his flaming butt.  
   
This was uncanny.  
   
Glancing at the Chimchar, I could see a green bar, faintly overlaid onto the world.  
   
His health bar, no doubt.  
   
“Hey, Suzy.” Jude started, taking a step towards me. “We haven’t spoken in a long time.”  
   
“Yeah.” I responded quietly. I didn’t know this version of Suzy. That made it difficult to relate – she seemed somewhat similar to me.   
   
Shut off from the world.  
   
“So let’s make a bet, if I can beat you in a Pokemon battle, you have to come with me to the Sandgem café for coffee!” Jude’s tone was gaining confidence quickly.  
   
A shadow of doubt crept up my spine and into my mind. I had only played Pokemon as a turn-based game, surely this wasn’t going to be remotely similar.  
   
“Sure.” I replied, a sense of false courage spiking my words. I knew that the first fight against a rival in a Pokemon game wasn’t exactly a tactical landmark of the series. Maybe that was why I wasn’t as worried as I should’ve been.   
   
I felt Barrett leap off of my head, he landed down in front of me, opening and closing his tiny jaw.  
   
Jude was glancing down at his Chimchar with a devilish grin on his lips. His eyes danced back up to mine and instantly I felt something ignite within me.  
   
I backed up quickly and Barrett took his position in front of me. “Okay Barrett,” I started, glancing at my Pokemon. The ever-helpful menu appeared before me, revealing his base moveset and only confirming my suspicions.  
   
We’re working with Tackle and Withdraw. So logically I should only have to use Tackle to win this fight-  
   
“Scratch him Chimchar!” Jude’s voice called out, and my eyes locked on the ape Pokemon charging my own.  
   
“Crap. Withdraw!” I shouted as Barrett leapt up and retracted his limbs into his shell.  
   
However, the fire monkey didn’t hesitate. It began to harry Barrett with scratches. This felt wrong, it wasn’t what I was used to.  
   
“Okay run back over here!” I shouted out. Barrett popped back out of his shell, catching a stray claw across his leg and crying out for help.  
   
“Agh!” My mouth moved on its own, in fact even my own thoughts were leaving me in the dust.  
   
I was spiraling.   
   
This was a Nuzlocke. Why the fuck would I accept a fight that was 50/50, luck of the draw? What if he was hit with a critical hit?  
   
“You okay?” Jude called out, clearly concerned about my dwindling composure.  
   
But the pity in his words snapped me back into an angry focus. “I’m fine.” I spat back.  
   
I wasn’t sure why his tone set me off, but I found my thoughts quickly coming back to me.  
   
“Use tackle, Barrett!” I commanded as Barrett slowly accelerated into a full-on sprint. It was all the little turtle could do to stay above the snow in his run, his belly rubbing away at the snow revealing the slick ice that lay beneath it.  
   
He was quickly gaining ground. Chimchar on the other hand was waiting.  
   
Time to test my theory.  
   
“Chimchar use leer, get him over here and then attack when his guard is down.”  
   
This isn’t a turn-based game anymore.  
   
“Withdraw right before you hit him!” I ordered as Turtwig leapt forward at the Chimchar, pulling himself into the shell once more.  
   
“Wait!” Jude was shocked at my sudden innovation. But it was too late to issue another command to his Chimchar. The shell made heavy contact with the monkey Pokemon and it let out a cry of pain as it attempted to scratch at Barrett’s shell.  
   
I looked closer at the Chimchar and noticed his HP dwindling. Oddly enough, it was still moving downwards slowly.  
   
I hadn’t inflicted it with any kind of status condition, what was happening?  
   
I waited for an opportunity to get Barrett back away from the Chimchar without getting scratched again, the fewer hits landed the better.  
   
“Don’t let up he’s got to come out at some point!” Jude belted, his passion for the fight at hand clearly ignited.   
   
But I could see what he couldn’t. His Chimchar’s health was dwindling, not constantly but at a set beat.  
   
It was in time with the scratches.  
   
He was hurting himself trying to scratch Barrett’s shell.  
   
The Pokemon was slowing down enough that my opening became clear. “Next time he scratches you, run back to me!” I said just as the Chimchar was winding up for a scratch. It landed on the shell and Barrett’s head popped out, right on cue.  
   
“Now!” I shouted as his tiny legs began to carry him away.  
   
“Chase him!” Jude called back, determined to gain back some ground in this fight. But that was exactly what I wanted.  
   
His Chimchar was spent while Barrett was still in the green.  
   
“Quickly turn around and use tackle! Hit him while he’s running at you!” The force of two objects moving towards each other was much greater than one hitting a stationary object.  
   
“Stop, prepare yourself!” Jude called out, but he wasn’t paying enough attention to the battlefield.  
   
He was running in the exact path Barrett had been clearing of snow. He was running on a thin layer of ice and ice alone.  
   
The Chimchar tried to heed his owner’s commands but didn’t have the purchase on the ground to do so. Barrett, on the other hand barrelled right at him, colliding hard with the monkey’s sternum.  
   
Chimchar flopped onto the ground, bouncing up towards Jude a little before falling once more in some fresh snow. Barrett lazily began to waddle back over to my side, stopping beside me and lovingly chomping on my ankle. I looked at him lovingly, my first Pokemon and my first victory.  
   
+45 exp.  
   
Barrett has leveled up to Lv. 6.  
   
The menus had already reflected Barrett’s name even though I had only changed it a few minutes ago.   
   
Hm…  
   
“Suzy,” Jude glanced down at his Chimchar and returned it to its Poke-Ball. “That was amazing.” His voice was shaky.  
   
As often as I reminded myself of it, this was not the same Barry I may have once known. The name was enough of a reminder, but his age would have to serve as one as well.  
   
“Hey sorry,” I said walking up to him. I almost offered a hand for his shoulder, but as I reached out, I couldn’t bring myself to fully make it, so I diverted and brushed my hair away from my face.  
   
“I’ll still grab the coffee if you want.” I don’t know why I outstretched that kindness. It was kind of similar to how Kate and I met. I was sure she pitied me.  
   
Did I pity Jude?  
   
I don’t think so.  
   
“Yeah, sure, let’s head out.” Jude nodded.” Mind taking point since I don’t really have…” He quietly trailed off, glancing out towards the trees.  
   
I nodded and continued passed him. As we walked by I picked Barrett back up and plopped him down on my head, where he belonged.  
   
In the games, walking through route 201 to Sandgem Town was a quick affair, the tutorial-focused route 1 always was. But after walking in complete silence for almost six minutes, I realized the world was probably a bit bigger now that I was truly in it.  
   
“Hey Jude,” I called out, still looking straight ahead. I was trying to avoid having to meet his gaze and reveal more than I was ready to. I pulled a small notebook out of my backpack and flipped to the first page. There were some notes, drawn with hearts, about favourite Pokemon, tv shows, hopes for Jude and the writer in the future. It was a diary of sorts, I suppose. The old Suzy’s diary.  
   
“I know it’s been a while since we’ve talked. But what do you remember about me?” I asked, turning to the first blank page I could find.  
   
“Well, you were always quiet.” Jude started, thankfully. My hand stuffed itself into my jacket pocket. I was able to locate a well-used ballpoint pen and began to write some things down. “You were scared of losing people and things. You never got angry, even when people wanted you to, you were really sad. You even cut Dawn out eventually.”  
   
It wasn’t until the imperfect circles started to appear on my notebook that I realized I hadn’t been writing, that I was crying.  
   
“Right.” I responded, as the brown brick buildings of Sandgem’s outer layer began to reveal themselves to me one by one, cresting over the pinery that I had become so used to in our short walk to town.  
   
Dawn added yet another complication to this world. If I was the main character, Rowan’s assistant should’ve been Lucas, not Dawn.  
   
“Sorry if that was harsh.” Jude whispered standing beside me as we walked up to the entrance of Sandgem Town.  
   
“No,” I cleared my throat, wiping my face on my jacket sleeve. “That’s really okay.” I turned away from him, pretending to read the sign posted at the entrance of the town. “Hey why don’t you go ahead and grab us a chair?” My shaky face avoided his gaze as best it could.  
   
He didn’t say anything, just nodded and walked deeper into Sandgem.  
   
I stood there, in the entrance of town.  
   
Behind me was Route 201, as peaceful as they came. Snow falling on tree branches like gentle kisses. The sun, having set below the horizon, painted the sky in a deep purple hue that seemed to get darker every few minutes. The Town’s buildings were mostly shut down for the night, with a few exceptions boasting a neon glow that permeated through the gentle flurry. It illuminated me in a way I didn’t like.  
   
I gently lowered myself down towards the ground, hugging my knees as I looked out in front of me.  
   
“W-“  
   
I stopped myself as Barrett climbed down off my head and began to nibble once more on my ankle.  
   
I looked at the turtle, my eyes were swollen and puffy, my throat scratched up and sore.  
   
He opened his mouth, but before he could make a noise, I returned him to his Poke-Ball. I’d let him back out once I let myself fall apart.  
   
Once I picked up the pieces.  
   
The town looked empty. The only thing around me was the sounds of silent movement through the trees in the route behind me.  
   
After a quiet minute, waiting for someone to find me I let myself go.  
   
“WHY THE FUCK AM I HERE?!” I screamed it to the heavens, to whatever entity could hear me. Of course, I didn’t expect an answer.  
   
And I didn’t get one.  
   
I picked myself up off the ground and pulled the notebook back out.  
   
Jude remembers you as sad, I jotted down, clutching the notebook to my chest.  
   
“No wonder he doesn’t realize I’m someone else.” I whispered scornfully, entering the café.


	4. Just How Powerful Was This Other Suzy?!

For a 24-hour Café in a small town, Sandgem’s was quaint.

Light flooded the interior of the building and poured onto the snow outside. The furniture had a somewhat interesting, very angular, design and there were neat white tablecloths laid out over each of the tables.

Jude sat across from me, fidgeting with his Poke-Ball. I kept Barrett in his own. Mostly out of respect, but also because I wasn’t sure what the rules about Pokemon in a café were.

Before we could think of anything to say to one another our coffee was delivered by the waitress. She had tucked her fading blonde hair into a bun with two pencils stuck into it. Over her sweater and jeans, she wore an apron with various stains on it. Her face was a kind one and her deep green eyes scanned me as she curled her fingers around the handles of our coffee mugs.

“Hey sweetie,” The woman looked back over her shoulder at the clock, turning back to me with a quiet sigh. “It’s no business of mine, but are you sure you should be drinking coffee this late?” Her lips pulled back into a grimace as she set the steaming mug down in front of me.

“Thank you very much,” I reached into my backpack and retrieved some Poke-Yen. It looked nothing like how I’d imagined it. More like American money with a uniform coloration.

Her eyes shut as she nodded, letting a small resigned smile creep onto her face before tapping my shoulder and leaving our booth.

“Name’s Joyce if you need anything. I’m switching off in an hour,” She called over her shoulder.

“You’re like a completely different person.” Jude muttered, glancing over his mug as he took a deep sip from it. “What happened to you?”  
  
“Well,” my face flushed, “I guess I just woke up one day and felt like a new person.” The words felt hollow coming out of my mouth. I heard Joyce begin to shut off some of the lights and the register pop open as she counted her shift’s rewards.

“I guess, but this isn’t you deciding you’re going to lose some weight,” Jude stated indignantly, still staring.

“You think I need to lose some weight?” I asked, offering him a cocked eyebrow as I took a sip of my own coffee, attempting to change the subject somehow.

“That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about.” Jude raised his voice and leaned forward, before reducing it back to a hiss. “You drink your coffee black now, you somehow know everything about your Pokemon. When you looked at me this morning it was like you didn’t even recognize me! Ever since you broke up with Dawn you’ve been a different person.”

Broke up with Dawn?!

What?!

That had nothing to do with a kid’s game about capturing monsters!

Just how powerful was this other Suzy?

As I readied an answer that would hopefully dissuade him from his current line of thought, I heard the jingle of the door chimes.

At 11 PM? I leaned my head out of the booth to get a better look. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as a woman quite a bit taller than I was walked straight towards us. Jude saw my face and glanced behind in order to get a better view at who was approaching.

“Oh Dawn,” the corners of his mouth turned up into a grin. “You’ll never believe who I’m with.”

I reclined back into my seat, allowing myself to sink somewhat into the booth. Dawn walked up to our booth in silence, until she stood directly beside me.   
Sure enough, just like Jude, Dawn too was older. Her face had sharpened, her jawline and cheekbones were more defined and she stood nearly a head taller than me. Her dark hair was tied into a neat braid that was currently swung over her shoulder.

“Susan, move so I can sit beside you.” Her voice was confident, authoritative. I nodded a little before I could work up an answer.

“Yeah, sorry,” was all I managed to come up with. I slid to the side while Jude looked at me with confusion. I sent a glare at his direction as I scooted over.

“So,” Dawn began after taking her seat. She took her time drinking in the sight of Jude. She paused exceptionally long on his Poke-Ball. Then she turned her gaze towards me.

Fuck.

From this distance I could smell the shampoo she had used. Hints of vanilla wafted through the air as she looked me up and down as she had Jude. “You’re eight years late, but you’re finally going to do it, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I think so.” I replied, working up the courage to look her in the eyes. They were slate-grey, and staring right through me. Her pink coat stopped with her skirt; when she noticed me looking, she crossed her legs over one another.

Fuck.

“Are you sure?” she asked closing the distance between us once more.

My lips pursed as I considered what I was about to say.

“Yeah,” I responded. I tried to flinch away from her gaze one more time, but she was quick to pull me into a hug. It happened so fast it nearly triggered my fight or flight response.

“That’s amazing Suzy!” Her façade seemed to drop all at once as she brushed some of my hair away from my face.

“Uh, thanks Dawn,” I said, gently removing myself from her gasp. I was avoiding looking at her, but I could’ve sworn she blushed as she laughed it off. Jude loudly slurped his coffee, raising an eyebrow at me. I shot a glare in his direction. “What are you doing up, anyway?”

“Well,” Dawn said, reaching into her messenger bag and retrieving two red machines. I recognized them instantly. They were a sleek red that was accentuated by a green orb-like camera in the top right-hand corner. I turned back to face Dawn as she addressed me. “Rowan wanted you two to have these.” But I was already fawning over it.

“Thank you so much!” I chirped gleefully.

“Yeah, it’s yours now.” Dawn said, sounding somewhat distracted. I glanced back at her and she seemed to be mouthing something to Jude. When she felt my gaze return though she returned my glance with a bright smile.

“Um,” I started, my mood whipping back to an apprehensive one when I noticed their whispering, “can I get a Poke-Ball or two from you?” I asked, standing up and fixing my coat, making it clear I was trying to leave.

“Of course!” Dawn said, getting out of my way between glances towards Jude. “Do you mind actually accompanying me really quick?” she asked.

“Uh, sure. Where are we going?” I asked, quietly getting my things together, sticking my Pokedex into the inside pocket of my jacket.

“I just wanted to go see Lake Verity at night tonight, but I didn’t have my Pokemon with me.” Dawn explained. I glanced out the window, it seemed as though it had stopped snowing.

“Yeah, I’ll come with you.” I responded, nodding towards Jude. He looked at me with a concerned look, but he nodded all the same.

“Have a good night, hon!” Joyce shouted out as we left. I waved back to her as Dawn and I set out for the lake.

Our walk would prove to be a rather uneventful one. It seemed they had set up a few lights like the kinds I was used to seeing over a highway road at night on the routes. It washed the snowy ground in a bleak off-white light that further illuminated my face, something I definitely didn’t want.

I caught Dawn glancing at my face multiple times throughout the walk. Each time her reaction was distant, disappointed.

She probably thought I wasn’t cut out for this.

I turned towards her, part way down the path towards Lake Verity. We were only a few minutes away but as I opened my mouth my feet collided with one another. My teeth clenched as I was thrown to the ground.  
Thud.

“Oww…” I grumbled. I felt a sore spot where Barrett’s Poke-Ball had collided with me.

“Oh my Arceus, Suzy are you okay?” Dawn asked, hastily bending down beside me.

“Yeah, sorry, I’m just clumsy.” I said quietly. My eyes fluttered back open, and I saw something blue in front of me.

My hand reached out towards it; it was soft to the touch. Dawn got me back on my feet, and she wiped away some of the dirt that had stained my chin with her sleeve. Trying to ignore her closeness I reached out and opened my hand.  
“Oh, you found some Shinx fur!” Dawn said, marveling at my find. “Sometimes they shed in the winter due to an increase in activity.” Noting my confusion, Dawn continued. “It gets harder to find food so they have to work harder, causing them to sweat more and thusly, shed.” She explained.

“Huh, that’s-“

“I know, it’s basic trainer’s school stuff. But I think it’s interesting!” She teasingly pushed against my bicep, laughing to herself.

Once more I felt my cheeks flush. I pursed my lips while I contemplated what to do with my hands.

“That’s okay,” I nodded, continuing forward. “We’re almost there.”

“Yeah.” She leaned her head against my shoulder, wrapping herself around my arm. “Maybe the Shinx is at Lake Verity!”

“Let’s check.” I said, a shimmer of anticipation filtered through my typical sunken tone.

My eyes caught a quick blur of movement as Dawn and I entered the lakeside island Near Lake Verity. I instinctively shoved the arm that Dawn was holding onto backwards. Her head quickly lifted. “The Shinx.” I mouthed, producing as little noise as possible.

Dawn nodded vigorously as I started to walk us over to the treeline. I moved my free hand down to my belt, to retrieve Barrett’s Poke-Ball.

I threw the ball into the clearing, and it landed with a satisfying thunk. Barrett yawned as he appeared only a few feet in front of the Shinx. The turtle Pokemon glanced around, looking back at the treeline and at me. I knew he would require instruction, but my hope was that the Shinx would attack first. I motioned for Barrett to step forwards towards the Shinx, but he just lazily stared back at me. Blinking once, then twice.  
“Okay, fine.” I huffed.

I began walking forward out of the treeline, but not before Dawn slipped some Poke-Balls into my hand. I recognized one with an inverted colour scheme as a Premiere Ball.

The Shinx sported a light blue coat of fur with some yellow highlights. His back half was covered in a darker colour that was also found just underneath his chin. His health bar appeared to me, it seemed as though he was already a little bit hurt.

He looked at Barrett, seeming calm. Then he lazily bent down and began to eat some grass that had been uncovered earlier.

I took a deep breath. This was my first time trying to capture a Pokemon. I needed to outsmart the creature; and my tools for doing so were still very basic. Tackle and Withdraw. In the games withdraw simply emboldened defense; but here, it seemed to function differently.

Not much was clear to me about the mechanics of Pokemon fighting in this world. So I had to double-down on my observations.

“Okay Barrett,” Barrett’s eyes narrowed and he stood up straighter. “Use tackle!” My turtle took off in a sprint towards the Shinx, whose head rose and eyes widened. It tried to circle around but Barrett collided with its side, knocking them both over.

The Shinx was quicker to recover. Barrett picked himself back up but was struck by the Shinx, copying his own move.

I hadn’t been fast enough to call for him to Withdraw.

“Next time.” I whispered to myself, as Barrett prepared for my next command. “Come back over here!”

Barrett took off towards my side, but the Shinx was quickly pursuing. I had to take what I had learned from my last fight and use that.

“Withdraw!” I commanded, my legs were shaking due to the snow being blown into me, but I had to focus. My fingers tightened against the Premiere Ball.

The Shinx put its head down and charged Barrett, colliding with his shell. The Shinx fell back, dazed and in that instant, I whipped the Premiere Ball towards him. It connected with his head and bounced off the Pokemon landing solidly in the snow.

Dawn began to approach me as I watched it, bewildered.

The red light from the center of the Poke-Ball painted a swath of the snow around the area in the same red glow. Once, twice, three times it rolled around before a satisfying click!

I walked over towards the Poke-Ball, picking it up gingerly and looking back at Dawn, who was staring at me awe-struck.

You may no longer catch any Pokemon in Lake Verity.  
  
“You did it.” Dawn said, taking a few steps closer to me, retrieving her scarf from around her neck and taking it in both of her hands.

“Yeah,” I was ecstatic, but her approach put a lump firmly in my throat. “I guess so.”

Dawn didn’t slow. She walked up to me, stopping only when she was less than a foot away. She wrapped her scarf around my neck. My hair, at one point was done up in a ponytail but the hair elastic had long since fallen off. One of Dawn’s hands left her scarf to gently tuck the now-loose hair behind my ear.

“What’re you doing?” I had to force the words out as my body began to lock up.

“You’ve changed, Suzy,” Dawn said, leaning in to tighten the scarf around my neck.

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. “Yeah,” I managed to force out, with an empty chuckle. My breath came as mist and swirled around Dawn, engulfing her.

“I-“ She started, but as the wind began to die down her hands brushed at my hair, pushing it out of my face. She gently turned my face so that I was looking up at her. “I’m impressed,” she said, glancing down at the Poke-Ball in my hand with a laugh. Both of our faces were burning up. “Can I ask you something?”

I cleared my throat as quietly as I could. “Sure.” My tongue pushed against the inside of my cheek trying to relieve some of the tension.

Her small button nose inhaled deeply. “Why are you doing this?”

“Well, I,” my words faltered with my confidence. I wasn’t sure how to respond. I didn’t really have a reason for doing any of this. I still didn’t even know how I ended up here.

I was just…

“I’m moving forward. It’s the only direction I can go, I think,” I responded after a moment of silence.

“Moving forward,” Dawn mused, taking another step forward.

I gulped.

Her hands once more gently tightened the scarf, pulling the ends down to my stomach. They continued to gently glide down, resting on my hips. She looked up at me with gray, unfaltering gaze. “I’m glad to hear that, Suzy… I heard your shouting, from the gate at Sandgem.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. I closed my own eyes and began thinking about how to explain my previous outburst. Before I could start I could feel her breath on my lips...right before they landed on my own.

We stood like that for a moment. The only noises that interrupted the complete silence came from when I reminded myself to breathe.

Eventually Dawn leaned backwards, nervously licking her own lips and closing her eyes. She forced herself to relinquish her grip on the scarf and looked down at me. “Sorry, It’s just-“

“Twiiiiiiiiiiiiig.” A deep long cry came from our feet. Causing both Dawn and I to burst into laughter. I knelt down and picked him up, planting a big kiss on the top of his head.

“I’m sorry,” Dawn said, kneeling down to kiss his forehead. “We didn’t mean to make you jealous!” Her infectious smile quickly removed any anxiety from my mind.  
I couldn’t help it.

“I’m sorry, congratulations on the catch, but I really need to get going.” Dawn said, glancing out at the lake behind me. She took a step back, but my cheeks were still burning.

“That’s okay, um hopefully I’ll see you soon,” I whispered. Dawn nodded happily, a big grin on her face and retreated back into Route 201.

I waited for a few minutes, until after she had left before I chucked Barrett up towards the sky and pumped my fist in the air.

“TwiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGG.” As Barrett plummeted back towards the ground, I snatched him up, pulling him in for a tight hug as he tried to squirm away from me. I spun us in circles, laughing to myself before I fell back in the snow, still giggling.


	5. The Blessed and the Damned

The phone trilled. In that silence I was left with a reflection of myself and the darkness of the night surrounding me.  
My familiar, chemically damaged brown hair faded to blonde as it reached its precipice. My earrings were still in. They were plain, boring, metal loops that chilled my earlobes in the winter air. The coat I had grabbed from the other Suzy’s room was a tired old thing. The elbows had been sewn multiple times and it seemed far older than I was. Then, of course, there was Dawn’s scarf. The only thing in my reflection I’d call beautiful. It's red with a large fringe that traveled along the outside edge of the fabric. Two sides of it hung down past my chest, right where Dawn had left them.  
  
The trill abruptly stopped as the phone line connected, I cleared my scratched-up throat in anticipation for her voice.  
  
“Suzy? Is that you?” The woman asked.  
  
“Hey, Mom.” I spoke quietly. “I got to Jubilife.”  
  
I heard her move the phone away from her mouth, her breathing sounded shaky. “Honey, I am so proud of you.” Her words were carefully thought out, chosen specifically. “You’re going to do incredible.”  
In the short time I had been in this world, I was still trying to figure out what kind of person I could be. This woman on the other end of the phone wanted a better relationship with her daughter.  
  
Maybe I could give that to her.  
  
“Thank you, Mom.” A sweetness that was new to me escaped my mouth.  
  
“Ahem,” she cleared her throat after a small lull. “Is there a gym in Jubilife?”  
  
“Oh, no.” My strategy guide-like mind was switched on by the mistake. “The gyms are in Oreburgh, Eterna, Hearthome, Veilstone, Pastoria, Canalave, Snowpoint and Sunyshore.” Listing the various towns and cities was almost as easy as the alphabet.  
  
“You’ve really done your research!” She paused for a moment. I wasn’t sure what to say either. “Well, do you think you could update me after each one, just to let me know you’re doing okay? You’ll be going to Oreburgh first, right?”  
  
“Of course.” I responded. A smile crept up my lips, I was becoming better at lying to myself.  
  
“Okay, well if you go East from Jubilife you’ll find the Oreburgh gate, you can tell because there are two lanterns in the tunnel, they’re lit up at night!” She continued to explain, and I let her. I hoped that she’d feel that she was getting better at communicating with her daughter.  
  
“I have to go for now,” I paused, waiting for her to say something, but it seemed as though she couldn’t find the words. “Bye Mom.”  
  
As I hung up the phone, I heard her try to say something.  
  
Maybe I should’ve given her more time.  
  
I considered what I was doing for a moment.  
Morally? I was bankrupt. I convinced a mother that I was her daughter, a friend that he had known me for years.  
  
I knew I was wrong.  
  
But it didn’t feel wrong.  
  
It didn’t matter, I couldn’t worry about that now.  
  
Exiting the small phone booth into the nighttime Jubilife air, I found myself scanning the skyline while I yawned. Like just about everything so far, it was bigger than I thought it’d be.  
  
However, restaurants weren’t actually introduced until later games, and there still weren’t hotels in any of them. Glancing around at the byzantine city, none of the buildings stood out as restaurants or hotels and given the late hour, I wasn’t sure I’d have any luck.  
  
I tried to rack my brain for details on which direction I should search in. But my exhaustion caused my memories to slip out of my grasp.  
  
In fact, only as I took my first steps North on Route 204, did I begin to realize just how tired I had become. I’ve been walking all day, pretending to be someone else. And I can’t do either anymore. I clumsily grabbed at my side, snagging the Premiere Ball that was in a holster on my belt.  
  


SHINX -- Male

Pokedex No. 018

Name – Vincent

Nature -- Relaxed

Type -- Electric

OT -- Suzy

Ability -- Intimidate

  
“Vincent,” I commanded the Shinx. “I need you to help me.” I looked out at the route ahead, plotting our path. “Here’s the plan,” I looked over at my newest Pokemon- Vincent wasn’t paying attention. He was ignoring me to admire his own reflection in the nearby pond. This is harder than I anticipated. I bit my lip gently to wake myself up.  
  
“Vincent.” This time I tried to make my voice sound, I don’t know, commanding? What does commanding sound like? A slightly deeper voice, I guess. The Pokemon laid down next to the water and began lapping it up. “Really?” I hissed.  
Well, I wasn’t about to force a Pokemon to fight for me. I began to walk with a hand on a nearby fence to steady myself. I glanced back at the Pokemon I was leaving behind, but I didn’t see him. I stopped, and suddenly I felt something bump into my calf.  
  
“Shiiiinx.” Vincent mewed quietly, rubbing his cheek on my leg.  
  
“What are you a tsundere?” My eyes rolled. I glanced down at the Shinx, who nodded at me. For the rest of the walk up to the Ravaged Path, Vincent stayed close.  
  
Glancing into the tunnel itself made me want to turn back. The inside was inky black. I could hear a cacophony of water dripping, wings flapping and other noises. I glanced down at Vincent, who seemed ready to pounce. His tail slowly swished back and forth. But he didn’t. Instead, his fur began to give off an iridescent blue glow, lighting the way.  
  
Trying to keep my eyes open, I snagged a Poke-Ball from my side. I brandished it like a weapon because not only was I stupid, I was a coward.  
  
“Okay buddy we’re going to take-“ my commands couldn't reach Vincent as a horde of Zubat whipped past me. I could feel them bite into me, their wings folding against my cheeks and my arms as I swung my Poke-Ball.  
  
“AIIIIEEEEEE!” I screamed. I sprinted out of the cave, screaming bloody murder into the cold night air. Doubling over, I tried to catch my breath. But a familiar red glow shone into my face.  
  
The Poke-Ball in my hand clicked!  
“Oh I did not just accidentally-“  
  
You may no longer catch a Pokemon in the Ravaged Paths.  
  
“Fuck.” I cursed.  
  
Stop.  
  
“Well we’re not sleeping there.” I said to Vincent, who had already walked back over to one of the small ponds. “Guess the Oreburgh Gate is the next closest cave.”  
  
The path to the Gate was a long and arduous one. Vincent was keeping watch as my steps began to falter more and more often. I knew that, no matter what, I was pushing myself further than I was capable of going.  
  
The steep hill that made up Route 203 pushed back against both Vincent and myself as we looked for anywhere to rest. The bright night sky helped to illuminate my path, but I could tell the small Pokemon beside me was struggling.  
  
“Okay,” my words escaped on the fragments of my broken breaths. “Come on, we’re going to find somewhere safe.” I pulled the Shinx into my arms, cradling him like a child as I continued forward.  
The Oreburgh Gate itself opened up in a much more inviting fashion compared to the ravaged path, three small lanterns lit the tunnel every 200 or so feet.  
  
I glanced at the Poke-Ball I was still holding. The menus flooded in to tell me of my most recent capture.  
  


ZUBAT -- Male

Pokedex No. 028

Name -- ???

Nature -- Jolly

Type – Poison/Flying

OT -- Suzy

Ability – Inner Focus

Taking my first steps into the tunnel, proper I sighed loudly. “Vincent would’ve worked a lot better for you.” I groaned, allowing my new Zubat to enter. Its wings violently flapped around as its confusion took hold, however it didn’t take long for it to recognize me as its new owner. “You know, there’s only one character I think that’d be suitable for your name.” I said, allowing the Zubat to hang beneath my arm. “How does Reno sound?” I asked a warm, if strained, smile on my lips.  
  
The Zubat squeaked out a happy little noise, folding his wings around himself. Seemingly to go to sleep.  
  
A shade of jealousy crept into my mind. I'm exhausted.  
  
I decided that Barrett should be out too. If nothing else, he’d probably enjoy some time outside his Poke-Ball.  
  
I once more dropped the Poke-Ball by my side and Barrett appeared before me, quickly waddling towards me and beginning to munch on my ankle.  
  
“Buddy, I need you and Vincent to protect me if anything happens.” I could feel my mind’s grasp on my consciousness begin to loosen.  
  
You need to rest.  
  
Who said that?  
  
I could hardly focus. Barrett looked up at me with a concerned look. I reached the second lantern. There was one more, then I’d be in Oreburgh town. My hand that rested on the slick cave wall had become a vital part of my continued ability to stand as I forced myself forward. My eyes locked on that singular flickering flame.  
  
Please Suzy. You need to rest.  
  
My mind was spinning my own thoughts against me. I was sure of it.  
  
I was only fifty feet away. Vincent and Barrett did what they could to try to help brace me, but they were so small.  
I was so tired.  
I needed to sleep.  
  
Each blink seemed to last longer than the last. Until finally I was walking with my eyes closed.  
I reached the flames; these were different from the earlier lanterns. I tried to reach out towards them, but I felt my legs buckle underneath my weight. The flames moved to support my weight, gently lowering me to the ground as my cheek gently lay against the flickering fire.  
  
When my eyes opened, I was not in the Oreburgh gate by that third lantern. I was ankle-deep in the waters of Lake Verity, but it was different. The moon and the sun fought above me, fusing into a singular celestial entity. It caused half the sky to shine with brilliant daylight, and the other half to seep into the inky black void that was night sky.  
  
Before me, was... Me. She looked like I did, with her green, sewn up jacket. She had brown hair, not dyed blonde at the tips, she had my pale green, passive eyes.  
  
“Hi, Suzy.” When she spoke, her voice was barely audible above the lapping of the waves at my calves. I realized that I wasn’t wearing the same clothes as her. Rather, I looked like I did when I was lying in bed with Kate. I had my pajamas on, and a plain white tee-shirt.  
  
“What is this?” I asked, my voice echoed off of everything I could see. Slowly, as my toes churned the sand at the bottom of the lake, I felt myself begin to sink.  
  
“This is my attempt to help you.” She glanced down at the water with a smile. “Thank you, for everything you’ve sacrificed.” She said quietly. Then, she began to approach me.  
  
Her steps caused tiny near-imperceptible waves to trickle behind her as she approached me. The tiny waves increased in size the further they got, eventually forming tidal waves that greedily drank up the forest around us. The closer she got, the more minute differences between us I began to notice. Her gaze was far less distant. She seemed kind, forgiving, hopeful.  
  
She was everything Jude described her as.  
  
Everything I wasn’t.  
  
She reached out, grabbing my hands with hers she pulled them up and over my head lifting my fingers to her lips as I continued to sink. “By the blessed and the damned, I pray that you receive this Minor Gift.”  
  
“What does that mean?” I tried to shout, but my voice was cut off by the water as I began to sink faster and faster. I felt fear set in as I tried to force my legs to move, but they wouldn’t no matter what I did.  
  
“Proceed through your journey. Your memories will come back. I believe in you.” The other Suzy smiled at me, but I frowned. Why did she know what was going on?  
  
Why didn’t I?  
This is bullshit.  
Fuck this. Who does she think she is?  
Did she do this?  
I want to go home.  
  
“Let me go home!” I screamed and the noise echoed through Oreburgh Gate. My cheeks were damp and Barrett, Vincent and Reno all woke up with a startle. Barrett climbing into my lap to give me what was the turtle equivalent of a hug.  
  
I wrapped my arms around him and sunk back into the soft cave wall-  
  
What the hell was I lying against?  
  
I slowly turned around, coming face to face with a Pokemon who’s flaming back enveloped me. But the flames didn’t hurt me. Its head rubbed against me as the flames relinquished their grasp on me. Quickly, I realized how cold the air in this tunnel actually was.  
  
“Ponyyyta.” The message was direct. I nodded.  
  
I grabbed a Poke-Ball from my side, holding it up to the Pokemon. It tapped its head against the red orb and in a flash of crimson light, entered into the Poke-Ball which instantly clicked shut.  
  
  
“You protected me; I think I’ll name you Aerith.”  
  


PONYTA -- Female

Pokedex No. 090

Name -- Aerith

Nature -- Naive

Type – Fire

OT -- Suzy

Ability – Flash Fire

I smiled, closing the menu and stuffing the Poke-Ball in my backpack. I returned each of my Pokemon to their respective Poke-Balls. But I stopped before exiting the tunnel.  
  
I noticed something odd, in the corner of my vision. A small, blinking Celtic knot. One I didn’t recognize from any of the games I had played.  
  


**  
“THE BLESSED AND THE DAMNED (1).”**

  
My eyes scanned over the words a few times. Why did I recognize that phrase?  
  
I opened the menu.  
  


_Minor Gift: Shared Mortality. If you accept this gift, you may add your remaining Hit Points with those of your Target. You may split these Hit Points as you wish between you and your Target._

_Do you wish to accept this gift?_

  
“What the fuck?”


	6. Walk Tall Susan

This can't be happening.  
  
I shoved through a group of people in the Oreburgh Pokemon Centre. Slammed the door shut behind me, turned to the walls, frantically searching the tile wall for the switch,  
  
Click.  
  
The overhead lights hummed as I turned towards the mirror. The indisputable truth stared back at me.  
  
A health bar floating beside my head.  
  
100/100  
  
The health bar had a small icon nestled into the corner, an empty battery symbol. I scanned the icon, my eyes narrowing on the reflection. A small text bubble popped up.  
  
Exhausted.  
  
“Well,” I said. Gripping the porcelain sink hard enough that my knuckles turned white. I inhaled through my nose, exhaling through my lips. “You’re not wrong.”  
  
I exited the bathroom, shuffling my way back to the counter. "Excuse me,” I said, quietly attempting to get the nurse’s attention. Idly, I wondered if her name was Joy.  
  
“Hi there!” The woman at the counter turned to me, her fingers twirling a pencil between them.  
  
“Hi, yeah,” I said, steadying myself against the countertop.  
  
“Do you need to heal up your Pokemon?”  
  
“No, no that’s alright.” I said. “I haven’t actually eaten in sixteen hours.”  
  
“Oh my!”  
  
“Yeah, I don’t recommend it.” I tried to bring the volume of our conversation back down. “Anyway, do you know where I can get some food?”  
  
“Well of course! There’s a small diner that the local miners love just by the gym.” The nurse smiled at me politely, though shades of confusion permeated her content look.  
  
“Oh god, thank you,” I lurched towards the exit of the Pokemon Centre, drawing a few concerned glances from onlookers.   
  
Oreburgh itself was almost completely barren of any paving; buildings were built onto the dirt and roads were designated through foot traffic alone. The gym was easy to spot; it was a brown near-featureless building jutting out from the downtrodden soil. A couple of trainers were milling around the gym; no, something else nearby it.  
  
Out of sheer curiosity I approached them, even though I didn’t want to delay my food any longer.  
  
“Jude, that was incredible!”  
  
Did he already defeat the gym? I pushed my way into the crowd, trying not to elbow anyone too hard as I forced myself through.  
  
“Hey, Jude.” Sure enough, right at the center of all of this was that same blonde-haired boy, although he was now sporting a blue jacket. It looked pretty good on him.  
  
“Suzy,” and the crowd immediately quieted, giving the two of us some room, “Hey, how are you? You look exhausted.”  
  
“Yeah, I’ve been getting that a lot lately.” I tapped one of my shoes against the ground, pulling my arm across my chest in a fairly casual stretch. “What's all of this?” I asked, motioning to his fan club.  
  
“Money matches,” he responded, eying the now four Poke-balls on my hip. “You want in?”  
  
I scoffed at his request. “I’m hungry, I haven’t eaten since that café back in Sandgem.” I moved to leave the circle. I heard some whispering in the crowd, general sounds of disappointment that invited a grimace from me.  
  
“Are you sure you have enough money?” Jude asked, basically daring me to fight him. I stuffed my hand into my money pocket, which, wow I need to buy a wallet. But I only felt one bill.  
  
I turned on him, coming up close. “You were a bit of a sore loser last time. Are you sure you want to give away your money?” Noises of approval floated out of the crowd as I snatched a Poke-Ball from my hip.  
  
“You really have changed,“ Jude started. He stopped as soon as I released Aerith from her Poke-Ball.  
  
“I told you Jude, I want to feel like myself again.” The Pokemon trotted beside me, its flames flaring.  
  
Jude's mouth tightened. “And do you?” He pulled out a Poke-Ball of his own as the crowd began to back up. “Feel like yourself?” Jude gave me a long, searching gaze.  
  
I returned it with my own. My glance was neither hot nor warm. A lukewarm celadon as opaque as prison walls.  
  
Jude relented, turning away as he took his place about ten paces south of Aerith and I.  
  
I knelt down to my newest Pokemon. “Alright girl, I need you to trust me, okay?” I said, stroking the young Ponyta's chin. She reared her head with a hearty neigh, her eyes locked on Jude’s Poke-Ball.  
  
“Let’s hope this isn’t a mistake.” I stood back up, taking a few steps away from Aerith “Whenever you’re ready.”  
  
“Okay, fine, you’re going to choose a Pokemon that’s good on land.” I caught Jude’s words as he discarded them under his breath. He whipped his Poke-Ball high, and it released an opalescent beam almost as bright as the sun. A small chirping bird emerged from the orb, circling over to Jude’s side of the field.  
  
For a moment, a hush fell across the spectators, leaving silence.  
  
“Quick Attack!” The Starly shot down the arena, racing towards Aerith. I opened my mouth to issue a command, but I wasn’t able to say anything before they collided with a sickening smack.  
  
“Shit, Aerith,” I said, scanning the menus. Tackle and Ember. Okay, well at least I had a ranged option here. “Run away!”  
  
My command elicited a confused and disappointed murmur from the spectators. I sighed; I wasn’t used to having to fight and entertain at the same time.  
  
But as soon as Aerith took off they stopped doubting me. A cloud of dust ballooned over me as the horse Pokemon took off like a bullet.  
  
“Catch up with quick attack!” He was learning faster than I had anticipated.  
  
But he hadn't learned fast enough.  
  
“Turn around and use Tackle.” The two Pokemon collided once more, Aerith’s health bar dipped into the yellow. I felt a twinge of guilt but shook it off, just as she seemed to do. She lowered her head, determination glinting in her eyes.  
  
The Starly was also in the yellow, but Jude couldn’t see that. He had to rely on physical cues, but there were plenty of those.  
  
“Fly up and catch your breath!” Jude shouted out, his voice catching a little as his Pokemon obeyed.  
  
Perfect.  
  
“Ember,” I said, and that was all it took. Aerith’s fiery mane flickered for a moment as she exhaled.  
  
“What?” Jude cried. But it was far too late. The shotgun-like blast easily took the small bird right out of the sky. Jude’s sadness and guilt burned into frustration and fury. He returned his avian Pokemon to its ball and brought out his Chimchar.  
  
Aerith stepped forward, but a simple glance was all it took for her to return to my side. I tapped her Poke-Ball against her cheek and gripped the Premiere Ball that housed Vincent. I gently kissed the ball before throwing it into the air, releasing the Shinx.  
  
“Chimchar.” Jude’s commands were fast, and I was still reading my menus. They gave me information, but if I relied on them, I’d never be able to attack first. Vincent hadn’t fought too much yet but I had spent some time with him outside of his Poke-Ball. He had access to Charge, Tackle, and Leer. “Hit him with Scratch!”  
  
“Vincent, Charge.” Perhaps I was over-confident. But Withdraw was different from what I remembered. Maybe Charge would be, too.  
  
The Chimchar was quick to approach, slashing Vincent across the cheek. Vincent’s fur started to crackle with static electricity. “Use Tackle!” If my theory was correct…  
  
When Vincent collided with Jude’s Chimchar, a burst of electrical energy shot off of the two Pokemon. I hypothesized that Jude wasn’t familiar with the Same Type Attack Bonus.  
  
“Hit him one more time!” Both Jude and I shouted commands to our Pokemon. They once more, Chimchar slashing and Vincent tackling. A red icon flashed over the menu, and my heart dropped.  
  
Critical Hit!  
  
My composure was gone. I scrambled over to the two Pokemon lying still on the ground. I picked Vincent up, examining him for wounds. His health bar popped up, and it told me everything I needed to know.  
  
1/32 hit points.  
  
I squeezed him tight against my body. Jude’s eyes burned, examining me, but his callous stare eventually softened. It seemed I had passed his test.  
  
“Here’s 2000 Poke-Yen. Don’t spend it all in one place,” Jude said, retrieving his Chimchar and taking his leave. It didn’t take long for the crowd to disperse, leaving me with my injured Pokemon.  
  
I wanted to head back over to the Pokemon Centre. Or to the diner for food.  
  
But my eyes were locked on that menu.  
  
THE BLESSED AND THE DAMNED (1).   
  
I felt a pit open up in my stomach, threatening to consume me completely.  
  
After one moment of hesitation, I opened the menu.  
  
Minor Gift: Shared Mortality. If you accept this gift, you may add your remaining Hit Points with those of your Target. You may split these Hit Points as you wish between you and your Target.  
  
Do you wish to accept this gift?  
  
I needed to know what this meant, why all of this was happening. What had happened to the other Suzy? But no answers were coming on their own.  
  
I accepted the gift.  
  
I expected glowing light, or at least some kind of effect, but there was nothing. The menu disappeared and I felt completely normal. Glancing back down at Vincent, there was nothing new either. I was unsure of how to activate this ability.  
  
I closed my eyes, placing my hands over his wound. His heavy breath warmed my palm, counteracting the chilly air.  
  
“Take some of my health.” My whispered voice spiked into a hiss at the end of the sentence, as I felt a wound open up on my shoulder. I felt the sharp burning sensation of claws against my skin, my fingers tightening against Vincent’s fur.  
  
“Shit.” My voice shook while I waited for the pain to subside. My vision spun me and before I could catch myself I was on my side on the ground once more.  
  
I was so weak. I could hardly muster the strength to continue breathing.  
  
It was just like when I-  
  
When I died.  
  
My vision began to close in around me. I tried to muster the strength to get back up to my feet; Vincent slowly pawed my face, trying to help me stir. I focused on that sensation, feeling his paw on my skin. But I couldn’t keep my grasp on my consciousness.  
  
...  
  
Suzy. Suzy you need to wake up, now.  
  
I felt consciousness thrust upon me, one sense at a time. First, I was thinking. Then, I realized how dry my mouth was. I tried to wiggle my toes, and got some lethargic movement out of them.  
  
As the light flooded my eyes, a headache split my mind in half.  
  
I recognized that I wasn’t in the street in Oreburgh anymore. Rather, I was on a couch. A carefully knit blanket was tucked around me. Someone must’ve picked me up off the street when I collapsed.   
  
Looking around the home, I tried as hard as I could to pick out details; anything noticeable, any discernible piece of identification strewn about.   
  
“-Yes, we’re just getting reports that a Red Gyarados,” the TV pulled my vision away from the room. It looked like a live broadcast, perhaps news? There was still so much I didn’t know about how this world worked.  
  
It was around then I noticed the silhouetted figure sitting in the chair. His spiked hair was a light enough blue that it was easy to recognize.  
  
“You’re awake then?” The man's voice was like a whip crack, although he didn’t move.  
  
I couldn’t respond. I tried to get up, but my body was still so weak.  
  
“Don’t think that running is a proper solution to this predicament either,” he continued, standing from his chair and shutting off the television. “I believe in absolutes.” His face turned to meet my eyes, and I shied from his a laser-focused gaze. He was perhaps a bit older than I had anticipated. A clear trend in this world.  
  
“You'll get your Pokemon as soon as I'm done,” Cyrus dictated. He walked over towards me, kneeling down so we were close to eye-level. “Now, tell me. Who are you, really?”  
  
I felt a hot flash soar through my body, starting with my head. Jude might’ve begun to suspect something, but for this man to come out with that question right from the start...I swallowed hard. “Suzy,” I forced out; my throat must've been bruised.  
  
“Who am I?” He asked. His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. But it had a rigidity, an edge, as if words that were completely casual were still threats.  
  
“Cyrus.” My voice was a choked squeak.  
  
“Good.” Cyrus said, taking my hand and holding it closer to him. He gently placed a Poke-Ball in it, I realized for the first time that my hand was bruised black and blue. He closed my fingers around it, his gaze locked on my eyes. “Where did we meet?”  
  
I trembled beneath his gaze. “Here,” I said, closing my eyes in anticipation.  
  
“Incredible.” I opened my eyes; saw Cyrus’ darted around my face, searching for something I couldn't see. “They’re sending me a sign.” Cyrus' voice transitioned from a sharp, yet uninterested tone to a rapturous melody. His hand rested on the brass doorknob, before he turned back to me. “Walk tall, Susan.”  
  
The door slammed shut, and I was alone.


	7. I Only Need One

I stumbled out of the house, bracing myself against its outer wall. Fresh wounds marked my body, the result of my gift. There was a scrape on my shoulder, as well as some level of soreness around my eyes. My hands had spiderwebbed bruises that sprawled along veins.  
  
“All this for 31 hit points.”  
  
My bruised eyes tracked the sun west, as afternoon turned to dusk. I pulled a Poke-Ball from my side and let it hit the ground, snatching it up again. I was getting good at that.  
  
“Hey Barrett,” I said quietly, bending down to rub his large head. He lazily looked up at me, but when he saw my face, concern flashed in his eyes.  
  
“Twig, twig!” He quickly hopped up into my arms, licking and mewing at me.  
  
“Oh, buddy…” I felt my eyes moisten. I placed my friend back onto the ground, but he didn’t wait for me. He waddled straight back to me, nuzzling against my shins. “We have to keep going, I’m fine.”  
  
“Hey! Hey, are you a trainer?” A man nearly twice my size rushed over towards me. He was wearing denim suspenders over a wife beater and a hard hat.  
  
“Hi,” I turned towards him, dusting off my knees and standing back up. Barrett wheeled to the stranger with a protective growl. “What’s going on?”  
  
“Someone is trapped down in the mine!” He stopped short of Barrett. “We need someone with a Pokemon to go and help!”  
  
I took a deep breath, looking down at Barrett. He was still standing guard like the perfect gentleman I knew he was. “Yeah, okay.” I walked forward and picked up Barrett. “Where are they?”  
  
“It’s the first right once you get in the mine, it should stand out, it’s a huge tunnel.”  
  
“Okay. Show me the way.” I asked, motioning for the miner to lead. He nodded and I followed him towards the mine.  
  
As we ventured deeper into Oreburgh, more and more coal turned up in the topsoil, brown steadily giving way to black as we got closer to our destination. Miners turned their heads towards me as I continued onward, but their faces weren’t hopeful. No doubt my bruised appearance wasn’t helping in that regard.  
  
We reached a pit that glowed orange, a wood ladder dangling off the side of the hole. The radiance flickered in time with the breeze; clearly it was torchlight.  
  
“This is it, lady.” The miner said, wiping some coal from his cheeks. His eyes widened  
  
“Who's trapped down there?” I grabbed Barrett’s Poke-Ball and faced him towards me. “Just for a minute.” I tapped him, he licked the Poke-Ball.  
  
“Our Gym Leader and mayor, Roark.” His voice shook on the last word.  
  
“He doesn’t have enough Pokemon to get around down there?” My eyebrows lifted.  
  
“He only has the Pokemon he uses for the gym challenge, and they’re all fairly weak.” The miner glanced around as his coworkers began to join him, surrounding me. “He means a lot to us; he fought for this mine to stay open. Get him back.”  
  
I looked around at everybody. The silence felt forlorn, empty. “I’ll do my best,” I said, a brave attempt at hope.  
  
As I started my descent into the pit, I felt that something was off. As soon as I touched the bottom, the miners began to disperse. Judging from the opening at the top, it must’ve been twenty feet down, maybe more. I had never been in a mine before, but as I gawked at the high ceiling, I was sure that most weren’t this roomy.  
  
“Oy, girl!” I heard one of the miners shout out to me, I cocked my head back towards the ladder. “Roark has red hair, looks somewhat girlish,” they called down.  
  
“Yeah, I know.” I shouted back, beginning to walk down the tunnel. I knew it would be bigger than it had appeared in the game, yet it still shocked me just how deep it went.  
  
The tunnel was supported by wooden beams that ran along the walls and the ceilings. I was supposed to be looking for a tunnel on the right, the miner had said it was fairly large. A shiver crept up my spine as I reached down towards my Poke-Balls. I let each one hit the ground, one after another.  
  
Reno seemed to take an immediate liking to Aerith, resting on her back. Aerith must’ve liked Reno too, since she wasn’t roasting him. Vincent and Barrett were mama’s boys though. They stuck so close to me I had to watch my feet so I didn’t accidentally kick them, the entire time seemingly bickering back and forth about which direction was the right one.  
  
Eventually, I got to the tunnel I believed Roark was in. But I wasn’t positive. It looked massive enough, a gigantic roughly cylindrical gouging of the earth. It didn’t look as neat as the tunnel I was now in, and there weren’t any visible support beams. Still, looking around I didn’t see any other tunnels.  
  
This had to be it.  
  
I stowed my anticipation and gathered my party.  
  
“Vincent, Aerith, give us some light.” Before I could finish asking, two lights flickered - Aerith’s a burning amber, Vincent’s an electric blue, mixing into a deep twilight purple.  
  
Without the torchlight from the main tunnel it grew darker than I had anticipated. Before long all I could see was the purple light the two Pokemon were creating together.  
  
\--  
  
“Jesus, where is this guy?” I panted. We’d been walking for nearly two hours through these tunnels.  
  
The temperature down here was starting to wear on me. Together with the featureless nature of the tunnel, it was...boring. All I had down here was my mind, left to spin countless idle webs. Some about Kate, some about Dawn; those made me feel guilty in some way. Others about this challenge, or why it was happening at all.  
  
Eventually, my mind wandered to the topic of the mine itself. It was weird was that I hadn’t encountered any Pokemon since coming down here. The Oreburgh mine was a source of Pokemon; it’d make no sense for it to be empty. My first assumption was that they simply used a Pokemon to carve it out. But if that was the case…where were the signs of human presence? The torches? The support beams?  
  
I heard a low rumble that shook the entire tunnel. Just beyond the glow of my Pokemon, perhaps, 50 feet ahead, I saw it. Gigantic iridescent eyes sizing me up.  
  
“Onix.”  
  
The titan immediately charged towards me as soon as it heard my voice. I grabbed Barrett and Reno, Aerith and Vincent following quickly behind me as we dove into the path on our right. Before I even hit the ground, the Onix barreled past us, the sound of its screech like two boulders grinding against one another.  
  
Aerith and Vincent took off like bats out of hell into the crossroads. I returned Barrett to his Poke-Ball; the heavy turtle might’ve had a type advantage but his size worried me.  
  
“Reno, Supersonic, now!” Reno flew off my shoulder screeching at a damning pitch that seemed to shake the Onix for a few seconds. But I never stopped running, even as Reno caught up to me. I knew the beast was furious.  
  
The sound of colliding rocks shot down the hall as it tore straight towards me.  
  
“To the right!” I shouted at Aerith, and she followed my directions. I made sure to keep a hand on Reno to make sure he stayed with me. It passed our tunnel and barreled into the wall, causing the entire mine to tremble. But it seemed to collide into the wall.  
  
It must’ve hurt itself in confusion.  
  
Okay. You can do this.  
  
You can do this Suzy!  
  
My eyes locked on Aerith who was running in front of me, her mane flaring. I threw everything I had into my stride. But once more I heard the Onix approaching.  
  
What could I do? Fire attacks and electric attacks would be ineffective. Barrett was my best offensive bet.  
  
As my thoughts slowed my feet I looked back and was met with a massive gaping jaw as the Onix quickly approached.  
  
“Shit!” I dove towards Aerith and Vincent, tackling them into the dirt. The Onix launched itself at us, colliding hard with the ground. I returned Aerith and Vincent to their Poke-Balls and climbed up the Onix.  
  
What the fuck am I doing.  
  
The boulders shifted under my feet as the giant coiled its head towards me.   
  
“Reno, use Astonish!” The bat flew right for the Onix, screeching into its eyes. The Onix flinched backwards; but with no room to maneuver, it lashed forwards again with a headbutt. Reno spiraled towards me as his health bar dove into the red.  
  
“Okay, come back!” I commanded, switching Reno’s Poke-Ball for Barrett’s. I threw it as hard as I could in the opposite direction of the Onix’s head. “Barrett, start absorbing!”  
  
“TWIG!” The Turtwig shouted back at me with confidence. I watched the Onix’s eyes bulge as it immediately rocketed towards Barrett. I ran along its body, but I was falling behind the head’s pace. I took out my last Poke-Ball and dove. I slammed it into the Onix’s neck and as the Pokemon went into the Poke-Ball I collided hard with the ground, bouncing off my shoulder. The fall sending echoes of pain through all the bruises I had sustained already.  
  
I wrapped my entire body around the Poke-Ball, curling into the fetal position. I was trying as hard as I could to keep it closed. I felt it shake once.  
  
“Twig! Turtwig!” Barrett came up and laid down on top of me, trying his best to help.  
  
It shook once more.  
  
“Come on!”  
  
It shook again.  
  
“Stay down!” I screamed, my screech bouncing off the walls.  
  
Click!  
  
I opened my eyes, glancing down at my hands, wrapped around the Poke-Ball.  
  
ONIX -- Male  
  
Pokedex No. 034  
  
Name – ???  
  
Nature -- Calm  
  
Type – Rock/Ground  
  
OT -- Suzy  
  
Ability – Sturdy  
  
I glanced up at Barrett, who responded by enthusiastically licking my face. “Oh,” I tried to push him off but he clambered up closer. “Buddy come on.” I laughed a bit.  
  
“An Onix, huh? Gonna have to call you Rude. Did I really do that?” I laughed in blatant disbelief.  
  
“You did,” a male voice made itself known as a red-headed man rounded the bend. His grey clothing caused his red hard hat to stand out. I was cast in darkness, so I sent Aerith and Vincent back out of their Poke-Balls.  
  
“You Roark?” I groaned, standing up and dusting myself off.  
  
“Yup, you can call me Roark the Rock!” He said enthusiastically.  
  
My expression muddied, Barrett tilted his head. “Why would I call you that?”  
  
‘Well-“ Roark’s face flushed. “I thought it sounded pretty cool.” He adjusted his jacket.  
  
“I was sent to rescue you.” I groaned as Aerith helped steady me.  
  
“That was actually my fault.” Roark scratched the back of his head underneath his hard hat. “Sorry about that.”  
  
“What are you talking about?” My eyes narrowed.  
  
“Well, I watched your money match earlier. You were great, but the crowd seemed to bug you.” Roark avoided my gaze, noticing my anger swell.  
  
“Okay,” My teeth ground against each other. “So, you thought you’d lure me down into this Onix infested tunnel?”  
  
“Well,” Roark’s eyes glanced around for an excuse. But the tunnel was as empty as his mind. “Yeah, guess so.” He shrugged.  
  
“Fucking-“ Aerith glanced up at me, rubbing her head against my hand. I took a deep breath. “Okay.”  
  
“So, what’s your name?” Roark threw his hands behind his head, leaning against the tunnel wall.  
  
“Suzy.”  
  
“Well Suzy, would you like to channel some of that anger and challenge the Oreburgh Gym?”  
  
If I had a spare Poke-Ball I’d have thrown it at his head.  
  
“Sure.” I spoke through my bared teeth. I knelt beside my Ponyta, brushing some of the trickling flames from her mane. “I know you’re just raring to go, but sit this one out for me, kay?” Aerith’s eyes looked into my own for a moment, looking for something. After a moment, she nodded and trotted out behind me.  
  
“You still a rock-type trainer?” I glowered at him, placing Barrett on the ground in front of me. He ran back up to my ankle and began to nibble on it.  
  
“Of course,” Roark said, retrieving a Poke-Ball from his pocket with a flourish. “You’ll have to stick to only three Pokemon.” Roark said motioning to my now five Poke-Balls.  
  
“That’s fine,” I took each Poke-Ball and placed them on the ground, one at a time. “I only need one.” Barrett immediately reacted to my tone. He stopped chomping on my ankle and took his place in front of me.  
  
Where was this cocky streak coming from? Why was I so aggressive in this world? Whatever, this guy deserved it.  
  
“We’ll see.” Roark tossed his Poke-Ball behind his back.  
  
“You’re fucking with me.” Another Onix stared Barrett down. “I just got over that.”   
  
I glanced down at Barrett. He was so small. I was also low on items. I’d have to make do with Absorb-  
  
New move learned! Would you like to learn Razor Leaf?  
  
“Okay Barrett, you feel confident you just learned a new move, right?” My Pokemon nodded. “Great.”  
  
Roark’s expression shifted. “Okay, this gym battle is officially…” He hung on that last word, as the air threatened to smother me. “Underway.”  
  
“Razor Leaf!” This time, I would move first as Barrett’s small sapling leaves flung from his head, sharpening in the air.  
  
“Stealth Rock.” As the leaves collided with him, the Onix’s head swung into the tunnel, causing multiple sharp stones to fly towards Barrett and me. They stopped five feet short of us. The Onix cried in pain as it recoiled, leaves sticking out of its rocky face. Roark crossed his arms, staring me down the entire time. “Just in case you’re lying,” he said, retrieving a potion and spraying his Onix.  
  
I scoffed. “Hit him again.” I could see that the potion wasn’t enough to fully heal the Onix.  
  
“Tack-“ But Roark’s commands were cut short, as the barrage stopped the Onix in its tracks. “Alright.” He returned the serpentine Pokemon to its Poke-Ball, and I breathed easier. “Geodude’s up next.”  
  
The Pokemon flexed as it appeared, glaring at Barrett.  
  
“Barrett, use Absorb!” I shouted, as Roark’s posture changed.  
  
“Hit him with Rock Throw!” Geodude’s hand dove into the earth, retrieving a large rock and hurling it at Barrett. It collided hard, but Barrett began to absorb the Geodude’s energy.  
  
He was slow enough that he’d heal after being attacked. Barrett chomped the rock Pokemon and began to drain it of its lifeforce.  
  
I remembered that Geodude was also part ground-type. With that weakness...it fell quickly.  
  
“Arceus damn it,” Roark said, standing straight up now. “Grass types.” He returned his Pokemon once more.  
  
“Told you. I only need one.” I beamed down at Barrett; whose health was back in the green.  
  
“This one won’t be so easy,” Roark spat. “Cranidos.” The Cranidos, a blue and grey spiky dinosaur-like Pokemon appeared from the Poke-Ball already in mid-charge. “Use Headbutt!”  
  
“Barrett use Absorb!” But Barrett wasn’t fast enough to stop the Cranidos from striking first, I watched him flinch. “Shit.”  
  
25/50 HP  
  
“Try again buddy!” I called out. But Roark saw my hesitation for what it was. Fear.  
  
“Headbutt!” The Cranidos’ head smacked into Barrett’s face, lowering his health into the red. But Barrett held his ground, latching onto the Cranidos.  
  
19/50 HP  
  
A critical hit could kill Barrett at this point. But I couldn’t get close enough to heal him without letting him get hit again.  
  
“Absorb again!”  
  
“Headbutt!”  
  
The Cranidos planted its feet squarely on the ground, leaned backwards. I averted my gaze.  
  
SLAM  
  
I whipped back to look at Barrett.  
  
4/50 HP.  
  
“Tuuuuurtwiiiig!” Barrett cried, as he chomped onto the Cranidos, his sapling growing as it fed on the creature’s life force.  
  
Critical Hit!  
  
The Cranidos crumpled to the ground.  
  
Roark and I let out two very different sighs. Barrett bounded over towards me, seemingly unaffected by his low health. He tried to leap into my arms, but he only seemed to achieve about ten centimetres of lift. He landed squarely in the dirt with a squeak. Happily, I picked him up, carrying him like a baby.  
  
“Told you, I only needed one,” I said as I approached the Oreburgh gym leader.  
  
The Stealth Rocks all dropped behind me as Roark uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets.  
  
“Yeah,” he said, retrieving a small black case. He carefully opened it towards me. It was a brown badge that looked like a marriage between a boulder and a Poke-Ball. I grabbed it, motioning for Aerith and Vincent to join us. As they trotted over the badge gave off a proud gleam.  
  
“Be careful,” Roark said, his eyes narrowing. “It’s only confidence until you get one of your team killed, then it’s overconfidence.” He handed me a few thousand Poke-Yen as well.  
  
I glared back at him, ripping the money from his hand.  
  
“Thanks for the tip.” I said, waving as I turned away from him. I had all that I needed from this city.  
  
I wanted food.  
  
\--  
  
After scarfing down a dinner that took all 2000 Poke-Yen I had won from Jude, I retired to a small hostel in the back of the Pokemon Centre. The nurse was kind enough to tell me that, in fact, all Pokemon Centres had them. I had also purchased a tent earlier, if I couldn’t make it to a Centre.  
  
As I laid there, my five Poke-Balls tucked under the covers with me, I clutched the gym badge. The waitress at the diner suggested I put it on my scarf, or perhaps my coat. But it didn’t feel right.  
  
Soon, as I lay staring at the badge, unconsciousness found me.  
  
And I found Lake Verity again.  
  
“Good evening, Suzy,” said the other Suzy. We were both sitting on the shoreline, and I was happy to not be back in those waters.  
  
“Uh, hey.” I nodded towards her, taking a step back towards a nearby tree, and sitting down at its base. “Am I going to come here every time I sleep?”  
  
“I’m not sure, truth be told.” The other Suzy continued to pick some flowers.  
  
“Ooooookay.” I leaned back against the tree, warily eying her. “So, what was all that minor gift business about?”  
  
“A new friend thought you could use some help,” she said, as she wove the flowers together. “Unfortunately, I was just the messenger.”  
  
I glanced up towards the sky; this time there was only a giant moon, eclipsing much of the sky. Small pink motes of light drifted from it, raining down around me, flickering in the trees, the grass, the lake.  
  
“Either way,” I looked away from her. “Thanks.”  
  
“I’m sorry it caused you so much trouble with Cyrus.” She stopped what she was doing, closing her eyes. “It’s been a long time since I last saw him.”  
  
“You’ve met him before?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Is that why he asked me where we had met?”  
  
“I believe so.”  
  
“Hey,” I stood back up, approaching Suzy. “I’m sorry about Dawn.”  
  
“Hm?” She tilted her head, a genuine look of confusion on her face. “Oh, the kiss,” Suzy’s lips curled into a hesitant smile. “To tell you the truth, I’ve never been the jealous type.”  
  
“Even still.” I mumbled into Dawn’s scarf.  
  
“You make a handsome couple.” She smiled at me.  
  
Why was she so nice? What the hell was this?  
  
“Listen.” She started standing up, our heights were perfectly matched. She handed me her little makeshift bouquet.  
  
“Oh, thanks,” My eyes darted back and forth between the flowers and her as she fixed her hair.  
  
“Morning approaches. I don’t know how often we’ll be able to see one another, I know this is difficult for you-“  
  
“Got it, I’ll try to come back soon.” I said, nodding at her.  
  
“But-“ she stopped. She looked at me with pause. “Why?”  
  
“You must be lonely,” I shrugged. “I’ll try to bring you something pretty next time.” I lifted my bouquet.  
  
“Well,” she glanced over at the lake. “I’d like that. Truth be told, I am lonely.”  
  
“We’re in this together, Suzy.” I smiled. “Hey, if you had a gym badge, where would you pin it?”  
  
I felt myself begin to wake; the entire area lit up as morning shone through my eyelids.  
  
“I’d pin them to the scarf!” She shouted.  
  
I lurched up, back in the hostel. I felt my breathing begin to slow; I’d been sweating and my heart rate was only now settling down.  
  
“Scarf, huh? You got it.”


	8. Maybe I Was Enough For Her

“Okay, bye mom.”   
  
I closed the door of the phone booth behind me as I stepped out into the busy streets of Jubilife. The loud bustle of nearby strangers stopped me from wanting to explore the city further.  
  
“Turt!” Barrett yapped up at me. I turned towards him, admiring the bite marks he'd left on a nearby bike rack.  
  
“You’re ready to go, huh?”   
  
All of a sudden his expression tightened. Barrett took off running, heading north as fast as he could. I jogged up to his side. “Everything okay?”  
  
Dawn’s shriek sounded like a violin string snapping.“Get your hands off of me!” I felt my heartbeat triple as I stumbled, struggling to keep up with my fear.  
  
“Dawn!” My shriek stung my bruised throat, but I ignored the pain.  
  
“She’s-agh! She’s a trainer!” One of two blue-haired kids grunted to the other.   
  
Anger swelled, igniting my intentions. I lunged forward, punching one of the boys hard enough to feel bone under my knuckles. His head twisted from the impact, sending him skipping across the ground. My entire right arm flared with pain.  
  
“Suzy!” Dawn’s smile at seeing me dropped to concern when she took in my appearance. “ _Arceus,_  what happened to you?”  
  
I ignored Dawn’s question to focus on the teenagers.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” People in the surrounding area stopped what they were doing, whispering amongst themselves as they began to approach.  
  
Both teenagers grimaced, one helping the other off the pavement. “You punched me in the fucking face!” His cheek was already starting to turn red.   
  
“I’m about to do a lot worse.” My voice rumbled like subdued thunder.  
  
As a response, they unclipped Poke-Balls from their belts and threw. A Glameow and a Stunky emerged.  
  
“Suzy, that’s a Poison and a Normal type,” Dawn said, confirming what I already knew. Her hand shot into her purse, retrieving a Poke-Ball. It was blue and white, engraved with various golden anchors. She tapped it and a Piplup happily chirped in front of her. She pointed forwards, towards its opponent. It clumsily spun around and assumed a fighting stance.  
  
“I’ll take the Glameow!” I shouted as Barrett ran towards it, knowing his cue. “Tackle him!”  
  
“Jump above that stupid Turtwig!” The punk’s nasally voice made me want to beat him that much more. The Glameow lightly pranced towards Barrett, jumping off of his shell to propel itself upwards.  
  
I grinned. “It can’t dodge again, use Razor Leaf.” Barrett sent two whirling blades towards the Glameow, each one slicing into its shoulders and bringing it down to earth. Blood leak through its fur, onto the leaves jutting out.  
  
“When it lands, tackle-” Barrett was already on it. The punk fumbled over his orders as Barrett smacked his head into the Glameow. It landed with a crunch and was quickly retrieved by its trainer.  
  
“Now, Pound!” Dawn’s voice re-entered my periphery, strangely high and excited. Her Piplup soared into the air, and the Stunky was surrounded by bubbles that seemed to explode whenever it made contact with them. With no way out, the Stunky looked up at the Piplup who came down fast, spiking its head into the ground.  
  
“We gotta get the fuck out of here!” One of the kids shrieked.  
  
The other cupped his cheek. “We were just supposed to steal a Pokemon. Let’s go back to the Windworks,” he hissed.  
  
They scrambled to their feet, running away as fast as they could. But something felt off. I knew this event from the games I had played, and yet... it felt too easy. Almost nothing happened like it did in the game, so why did this?  
  
“Take your bowl cuts back to the barber!” Dawn interrupted my train of thought.  She and I were left to deal with the crowd that had gathered around us, who offered us both light applause. We hastily scooped up our Pokemon.  
  
I turned on the group of about twenty people. “So were you guys just going to ignore this girl getting mugged?” I growled.  
  
“Hey!” Dawn ran over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.   
  
“At least those kids were brave enough to stand up to me.” The crowd started to disperse, they avoided my eyes, walking away with a few mutters.  
  
“Where is this coming from?” Dawn pulled my face towards hers. I lit up red, trembling with anger. “What happened to you?” Her eyes examined the bruises on my eyes, my throat, my hands. Her hands and eyes wandered, trying to assure I was okay.  
  
“I got in a fight,” I mumbled.  
  
“With who?!”   
  
“An Onix.” I started walking towards Route 204. “I’m leaving.”  
  
“Then so am I,” she rebutted, a frustrated tone permeating through the light snowfall, and I could feel heat grow on the back of my neck.  
  
It always happened when she spoke. I focused on ignoring it as we walked into Route 204.  
  
Halfway up the route, Dawn and I walked over to a nearby spring to stop for lunch. The area was in the process of being painted white again for the winter, one million brushstrokes from the sky scattered across the sparse greenery of the pine trees and half-dead grass.  
  
“Anything you feel like eating?” Dawn asked, gathering some kindling together.  
  
“Chef’s choice.” I smiled at her, taking a seat on a nearby stump.  
  
I let my team out of their Pokeballs. Aerith stood by Dawn the entire time, whinnying as she rubbed up against her, helping to start the fire. Vincent and Reno were quick to explore the small frozen spring; Reno flying above it, and Vincent pawing at it. Rude hung by the tree, coiling around it and dozing off in a matter of minutes. I helped by placing a tarp over his eyes, poor thing wasn’t used to how bright it was out here. Barrett stood by me, barking orders that fell on deaf ears at the rest of the team.  
  
Dawn handed me a bowl of something that looked like porridge. I sat down across from her, letting Barrett and Aerith play in the snow behind us.  
  
“So, tell me that’s not the Onix that messed you up,” Dawn asked, motioning her spoon towards Rude.  
  
“Well,” I said, taking a spoonful of her concoction to my lips. I was pleasantly surprised at the taste of honey and oats as the two flavours playfully danced on my tongue. Some snow drifted through the air into my bowl, so I leaned over it to protect it. “Kind of. Some of this is from him, some of it was from… Another thing.”  
  
Dawn’s eyebrows arched, concern passed through her face before she settled. “Well you’re here. I might have to help you out with training though,” She noted. “That Onix looks like a pushover.”  
  
Rude let out a hearty snore that made the tarp flap, before it fell back onto his snout.   
  
“We should keep moving, it’s a long way to Eterna.” I returned my team to their balls before we continued on our way.  
  
It wasn’t long before we were at the Ravaged Path. Having been here before, I let Aerith out of her ball in order to illuminate the cavern.   
  
“Did I say something?” Dawn asked, walking behind me into the cave. I turned around towards her, and for a moment I saw hope in her eyes. I motioned up to the Zubats that were sleeping on the ceiling between the stalactites, placing a cold finger over her lips.   
  
I turned back in the direction we were headed so she wouldn’t see my expression, and I didn’t have to acknowledge hers.  
  
We continued through the cave, but I was barely paying attention to where I was going. I didn’t know how to deal with Dawn. She didn’t know who I really was, she couldn't know. Yet, if I shunned her she’d figure it out easily.   
  
I felt the warmth in my hand, and found that Dawn had finally caught up to me. I took a deep breath, but did nothing else.  
  
We came upon a rather large boulder. Without any real solution for crossing it, I started looking for an alternate path, while Dawn stayed to investigate the boulder.  
  
“Hey, I think we can squeeze through here. Aerith might not be able to, though,” Dawn called back, motioning towards a makeshift corridor from where the boulder met a stalagmite.   
  
I nodded at her, returning Aerith to her Poke-Ball, and let darkness blanket the area.   
  
I heard her coat slide along the slick cave wall, before it came to a stop. “Hey, come on Suz.”   
  
“Okay.” I started to shimmy beside the boulder, but I couldn’t see a thing. When I blinked there wasn’t any discernible difference. It was all black. I bumped into something and stopped. “Suzy?”  
  
“Hey.” Dawn’s face came into view only as it got within inches of my own. “Are you okay?”  
  
“I’m fine,” I hissed, trying to create space between us.  
  
“Suzy.” Her teeth raked through her bottom lip. “You know, I think I owe you a kiss for saving me earlier.”   
  
I felt a wave of heat crash into my train of thought. “Listen, I just want to get out of here.” My eyes studied the cave wall as if I had a PhD in geology. I exhaled, but stopped when I felt my stomach touch hers.  
  
I watched as Dawn’s confidence faltered. “Okay, I’ll slow down. Sorry.”  
  
Slowing down. She had no intention of stopping, but even so, she was so nice. I wordlessly thanked her.  
  
We both worked our way out of the tight corridor, the exit of the cave was only a minute’s walk from there.  
  
Floaroma opened up like a blooming flower before me. An almost immaculate sheet of white, sullied by the defiant flowers that broke through the surface of the snow. They yearned for the sun, all leaning toward her, even while she was hidden by the rolling grey sky. “How do the flowers stay alive this time of year?”   
  
My bewilderment caught Dawn off-guard. “Well,” she said, her breath fogging out in front of her. “They say that Shaymin blessed this field a long time ago.” She turned towards me with a content look, happy to answer my question. “Did you already forget that?”  
  
“N-no, actually I- well.” A modest chuckle from Dawn silenced me.  
  
“It’s okay, you went through a lot.” She glanced at her feet, shuffling them.  
  
“Yeah, I guess.” My unwillingness to play along rotted Dawn’s expression, leaving her with a bad taste in her mouth.  
  
The biggest building in town was, of course, the flower shop. The outside was painted in a bright pastel blue that was just different enough from the shades of sky reflecting off the snow, and dotted with painted flowers all over. They were crude, childish, but there was a certain charm to them.  
  
Dawn saw me eye the shop. “Want to go in?”  
  
I must’ve taken too long to come up with something nice to say, because her expression started to drop, and I couldn’t stand that either. “Yeah, let’s go check it out.”  
  
Dawn’s expression flipped back to glee as she grabbed my hand and pulled me into the building.  
  
“Hello, hello!” The trill of the shopkeeper’s voice matched those of the windchimes that shook as we entered the building. The pastel blues from outside gave way to bright yellow walls, all filled to the ceiling with different shades and breeds of flora.  
  
“Hi there!” Dawn giddily called back, running over to inspect some of the flowers.  
  
I began to browse the selection with a bit more trepidation than Dawn. The flowers were all sorted not by genus but by colour, which created a makeshift rainbow throughout the room. The shopkeeper's eyes locked on me, an unsure shopper surrounded by her product, and descended on me like a bird upon a worm.  
  
“Hello!” Her voice elongated every letter of the word.  
  
“Hey there.” My response was less dramatic.  
  
The shopkeeper hovered inches from me. “You can call me Mary-Anne.  May I ask your name?”  
  
“Suzy.”  
  
“Wonderful, Suzy, this is the start of a beautiful bond. Now, if I may, who are you buying for today?”   
  
I shrugged, already done with… all of her.  “Um. I guess Dawn, or my Pokemon.”  
  
“Well, I wouldn’t give these flowers to your Pokemon, they’re quite tasty you know!” She laughed, miming grabbing one of the plants and taking a bite out of it.  
  
Well, okay then. I had underestimated this woman.  
  
“Well, how about we look for Dawn first.” She motioned to some of the flowers. It was only then that I noticed the price tag. 2,000 Pokeyen per bouquet.  
  
“I don’t know if I can afford a bouquet,” I said awkwardly, my hand already searching my money pocket.    
  
“Well, bouquets are 50% off for fiancés! You two don’t happen to be engaged, do you?”  
  
Oh _god_  no. Not like this.  
  
“Yes, we are!” Dawn said, coming back to my side. My eyes went wide. She offered me a wink before kissing me on the cheek. The room quickly became sweltering.  
  
“Oh, that’s just lovely! May I see the engagement ring?” Mary-Anne’s eyes darted across all ten of my fingers in an instant.    
  
“I don’t wear one!” I blurted out.  
  
“Hmm…” Mary-Anne made a show of examining the two of us. “I suppose I’ll allow it if you promise to send me some of the photos later on!”  
  
“We’d love to, Mary-Anne!” Dawn matched her in enthusiasm. For a brief moment, with Dawn grinning ear to ear and Mary-Anne fetching some flowers for us, she was truly happy. I smiled because, in that moment, maybe I was enough for her.  
  
Dawn was still laughing as we left the shop.  
  
“Okay, the language of plants is stupid,” I grumbled, folding my arms over my chest.  
  
“Well you’re allowed to think that, Suzy.” Dawn twirled the rainflower that I had picked out for her between her fingers.  
  
“Fine, but what if I get in a fight, I don’t want to damage the flower.” I held onto my primrose delicately Weird circumstances aside, I didn’t want to hurt it.  
  
“Here.” As Dawn approached me, I tensed. She plucked it from my fingers tucking it and some of my hair behind my ear. “Now it’s safe.”  
  
Not a second later, we were approached by a little girl. Her breathing was erratic, both of her hands wiping away tears that were shooting down her cheeks. “M-M-My papa.” Her words faltered each time she forced air into her lungs.  
  
Right on cue.


	9. You're Probably Right

“Hey, what’s going on?” I knelt down in front of the girl, gently moving aside her hands. “Are you okay?”

“My p-papa.” she sucked in as much air as she could, still quivering. “They took him out of the windmill.”

I glanced up at Dawn who nodded at me. “Stay with her, I’ll be right back!” Before she could complain, I took off running towards the Valley Windworks, releasing Aerith and plopping Barrett on her back.

But as my body continued forward, my mind was still back in Jubilife. None of this made sense.

Approaching the Windworks, I saw that same kid from Jubilife, still clutching his cheek. He was leaning on the door to the brick building. Windmills surrounded the field, some in the lazy river that flanked the building.

“Hey kid,” I raised my voice. “I’m gonna kick your ass again if you don’t let me in that building.”

The kid cursed and threw out a Pokemon, another Glameow, seemingly as a fight or flight response.

Barrett hopped off Aerith, who hurried into a charge without even waiting for my command. She enveloped herself in flames, her mane covering her entire head as it slammed into the Glameow, knocking it out instantly.

“Did you not listen?” I shouted, still continuing my stride towards this idiot.

“I’m sorry! They made me do it.” The kid sniveled, his shiny blue hair speckled from the light snowfall.

“So, you’re part of Team Galactic, huh?” The kid’s eyes shot open; there was fear, and some kind of recognition, elements of his expression confused me, this whole situation did.

“How do you know that name? Nobody knows that name!” He backed up until he hit the door.

I sighed. “Look, I’m not from around here, but I can recognize a cult by the shape of everyone’s identically shaded bowl cuts.” I approached him, returning Aerith to her ball. She wouldn’t have enough room to maneuver in the building and I didn’t want to burn it down. “Just let me in, kid.”

“Fine!” He grunted, opening the door and running past me. He didn’t make me go back to Floaroma.

Barrett and I walked into the facility, the hum of computer servers greeting us. I heard the scuffing of shoes on the polished tile floors from the other end of the room.

“Susan.” A heavily accented voice called out from around the corner. “You came, hm?” I’d place it as vaguely European, maybe Russian. I felt comfort in being thrown a screwball. If the world was going to fuck with me, consistency made it easier to swallow.

“You made a little girl cry.” I carefully advanced. I could hear some kind of muffled voice as well. Probably that girl’s father.

Mars’ voice rung out again, but I didn’t understand her Russian. Her tone is all I can interpret, callous, uncaring. “But she was being a nuisance.”

I rounded the bend, and the woman standing there was slender, with red hair styled in a confusing fashion. She stood with her hand draped down the chest of a plain, balding man, who sent me a pleading look.

“Let’s not mince words,” I said, Barrett walked beside me with confidence that belied his diminutive form.

“Fine.” Disappointment rang through Mars’ voice. She spun an all crimson Poke-Ball. “I’ll start with my Zubat.” The creature released from the ball looked sickly in comparison to Reno. It had holes in its wings, it was missing a fang, and was overall thinner.  
“Vincent.” I spoke his name as his Premiere-Ball, bounced off the ground..

Crackles of electricity shot through his fur as he roared. The Zubat launched itself downwards flying erratically.

“Wait for him to hit you, and use Spark.” I ordered, and Vincent growled. When the Zubat sunk its teeth into Vincent’s flank, the Shinx’s eyes lit up shimmering yellow as he let loose the voltage. That didn’t stop the cry of pain, though, and I watched as his health ticked down. His expression twisted into a queasy one.

Badly Poisoned!

“Shit,” I snarled, recalling Vincent into his Premiere-Ball.

“Why? Why do you bring your little Shinx back?” Mars asked in a faux-shock.

“I’m not going to keep him out after Toxic,” I responded, motioning Barrett forwards.

There was a flicker of something in Mars’ eyes that confused me, she wordlessly encouraged her Purugly to take the stand. It stood nearly two feet over Barrett, looking down on him like royalty to a commoner.

Something was off here. “Alright, Barret use Razor Leaf.”

“Fake out.” Mars’ voice dripped with contempt.

The Purugly moved so quickly it nearly vanished, stopping just short of Barrett’s face, slashing it. The leaves that Barrett was manipulating dropped.

“Agh!” I cried.

“Faint Attack.”

“Use Withdraw!” Barrett hopped into his shell, but the Purugly was fast, its claws seemingly phasing through his shell.

“Faint Attack can’t miss.” Mars corrected me, like an instructor. “But you knew that, didn’t you, Suzy?”

I had too many ideas, picking one became an impossible task.

Barrett hopped out of his shell, latching onto the Purugly’s paw, regaining so of his missing vitality.

“I’m afraid to say that I am disappointed. Scratch.” The Purugly lifted a heavy paw and brought it down on Barrett once more.

It stopped as soon as it made contact, the claw mark peeling down Barrett’s head. But blood didn’t flow from his wounds.

An effervescent liquid light enveloped Barrett, shimmering in an opalescent display of power, before fading away and leaving a Grotle behind.

Barrett’s size increased nearly three times, now matching the Purugly’s height. Where once there was a small sapling, there were now two large bushes on his back. He moved much slower, but there was power behind those movements now.

A new technique appeared on the menu before me.

“Barrett, use Curse!” He growled at the Purugly,and some of the colour seemed to seep out of the new bushes on his back as his eyes grew red in hue.

“My, my, my! Not very impactful was it?” Mars cooed. “Scratch it again.” The scratch hit once more.

“Keep using Curse,” I commanded. I could see his heath bar, it barely moved.

“Feint Attack.” Mars dropped the pretense from her commands. But once again it barely moved.

“That should be enough.” I looked Mars in the eye. “Tackle.”

Barrett lumbered forward, propelling himself off the ground hard enough to shatter the tile beneath him, landing squarely on top of the Purugly with a sickening crunch.

“Are you done?” Barrett sauntered slowly back over towards me.

Mars cursed under her breath, she shoved the man onto his side before running past me. I let her go, no doubt I’d see her again soon.

Instead, I helped the man up off the ground, Barrett in his new form easily capable of biting through his restraints.

“Thank you so much!” He pulled me into a hug. I grinned, awkwardly turning to the side to try and get away from it.

“Let’s get you back to your daughter, okay?”

“Yes, thank you again!”

By the time we exited the Windworks, Dawn and the little girl were waiting for us. As soon as she saw her father, she bolted straight towards him, he lifted her, twirling into a strong hug. I smiled at Dawn, who mouthed the words ‘good job’ at me.

We nodded at one another, our job having been completed we took our leave. Dawn waved at the girl and her father, before turning around and linking her arm around mine. I went to pull away from her touch, but as her head fell onto my shoulder, I found pause.

I glanced back at the father and daughter. They had stopped waving, and the father was talking to those kids with the blue hair. I stopped for a second. Why? Where we the cops? Were they just loitering around?

“Hey, Dawn?”

“Yeah, Suzy?”

“Is that weird to you?”

Dawn turned to look at the man speaking with the grunts. She tried to shield the sun from her eyes. “He’s probably just giving them a hard time for doing all of that. Besides, they’re just kids, Suzy.”

“Yeah,” I mused I kept the man in my gaze, he met my stare as I turned back around. “You’re probably right.”


	10. He Was Smiling

Dawn and I arrived in Eterna early in the morning. The smell of pancakes, pine, and pungent ozone all burned my nostrils.

 

Eterna City represented collision, or at least, that’s what a sign at the entrance of the city said. It was a community bulletin board with a few notes tacked onto it. Messy, violent cohabitation of differing concepts. I could make out the statue in the middle of town, a piece of byzantine architecture reserved for some concept of importance. Palkia and Dialga, time and space. Nature and progress, the trees, gardens, towering buildings, and pavement. The city was almost as contradictory as me.

Dawn removed her jacket, “It’s pretty warm today.” The further we came from Lake Verity the warmer it was getting.The roiling clouds above us threatened the town with cracks of thunder, their pace quickening as the storm approached. I heard the distant rain, echoing through the sky in the distance.

My eyes catch a small piece of paper that I had previously passed over. It was stapled to the bulletin board.

Suzy. My name, spelled in scarlet letters.

“Dawn why don’t you-“ I failed to finish my attempt at diversion before Dawn’s eyes widen.

“Does that have your name on it?” she asked, picking up her pace to reach it.

“Guess so.” I run to catch back up to her.

She carefully plucked it from the board, unfolding it. Her eyes busied themselves with the words, scanning each line. I could see her sometimes return to a line; a shade of disbelief occupying her until she looks up.

“They’re asking you to go to...” Dawn trailed off, examining the buildings.

“That one?” I asked, pointing to the largest building in Eterna City, impossible to miss. The building’s purpose is twofold. The first, was to catch my eye. The second...

Lightning, the storm making its presence known, striking the building and illuminating Dawn’s face. I saw an expression that was becoming increasingly familiar to me.

Fear.

Dawn’s gaze turned back to me, looking for answers I didn’t have. “Why?”

“Not sure,” I lie, making my way towards the tower as the lightning struck again, a crack of thunder booming a warning out to everyone of the approaching storm.

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” I said.

“I’m coming with you.”

“I’ll see you back outside, Dawn. I won’t be long.” I look back at her with a smile, her weakness.

I go for her throat.

She looked at me, lost, maybe hurt.

But it worked. Dawn searched for words to make me stay, but the rain came all at once. We both run for cover, in opposite directions.

When my hand met the door handle, the sound of the rain magnified. I looked back at Dawn, as she ran behind a building to escape the dense mist, and my view. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, that I was walking into a trap, and yet...

There was something there when I met Mars. The way she spoke to me, the way she observed me. It was the same way Cyrus looked at me; like I was salvation.

The storm continued to mourn, and for a moment, I wondered if they mourned for me. I wasn’t sure why it entered my mind, and yet I couldn’t seem to push it away. I looked up into the squall, but all I found was a blank layer of slate.

If I wanted answers, I’d have to earn them.

As soon as I entered the building, three teenagers turned towards me, their hairstyle just like the kids in Floaroma. The first two reached for their Poke-Balls, and I followed suit.

But then third took out a small baton from his sleeve, turning it on his allies and struck them both at the back of their heads, they crumpled to the ground.

My hand still rested on my Poke-Ball. “Looker?” I guessed.

He sat down on a chair. Now that I had time to look around it seemed like some kind of waiting room. Brown tiles make up the floor, they’re complemented by other earthy colours scattered around the room, and two stairwells challenge me. I remember that the right is the way to Jupiter.

“If that’s what you want to call me, kid.” The man takes off his cerulean wig to reveal brown hair, greying at the sides. He glowered at me for a moment before nodding. “I take it you’re Suzy?”

“Yeah.” I reminded myself not to offer him too much. I’d been barely capable of hiding secrets from a girl in love with me. I didn’t need a member of the international police force against me.

“Why are they looking for you?” He stood and faced me. His suspicion was written plainly across his face.

I shrug. “I don’t know.”

Looker sucks his teeth for a moment, visibly frustrated. “What do you plan on doing?” He pulled a cigarette from god knows which pocket, and placed it in his lips.

“I don’t know.”

Looker squinted at me. I squinted back.

Maybe he’d be able to help me. Or Dawn could. For some reason, though, I don’t want their help.

He examined me for longer than I would’ve liked, before finally pulling out a lighter and igniting his cigarette.

I felt my throat tighten, and anxiety wired my jaw shut. I yearned for a release of my anxiety. “Get the hell out of my way.”

Looker stared at me, but I didn’t move. Since when did I speak without thinking?

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded.

“I’ll try to get backup.” Looker grumbled, and when he pushed past me I could smell the smoke and butane on his coat.

He then slammed the door behind him, and I was unceremoniously left alone with two unconscious Galactic Grunts. I took hold of Barrett’s ball, my knuckles whitening. I felt my anger start to simmer, and I forced myself to take a second and just breathe. “I’m okay.” I tell myself. It almost worked.

I headed up the stairs to my right. The building felt more like a warehouse up here large crates lie strewn about, and there were discarded crowbars on the ground. The small hallway I was in bent around a corner, and I could hear the clacking of computer keys past it.

I put Barrett’s ball back on my belt; he was powerful now with his new form, but slower too. instead, I took out Vincent’s.

Slowly, I rounded the corner.

A plain, balding man stood across from me; the same I had saved from the Windworks. He stood beside a Kadabra. It was rather small, perhaps about three and a half feet tall. “I’m sorry Susan,” he said.

“What are you doing here?” My eyes darted around, trying to find any threats. I spotted a syringe in his right hand.

“Did you know there is a legend about Kadabra?” He no longer looked scared and emasculated. He hunched over his Pokemon and stared up at me with an excited grin.

“No, I don’t.”

“They say that a boy who could not control his psychic abilities woke up one day, transformed into this Pokemon.” He slowly inserted the syringe into the Pokemon, injecting it with… something. “I’m afraid that you will be allowed to leave this tower intact. It’s been an honour.”

While I listened to him my face contorted. My eyes trained on the syringe, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I felt my feet beg me to run, and my head demand me to fight. My anger flared once more, but this time it was joined with something else. Something scared.

“Why are you doing this?” He didn’t answer, nor did he emote. The singular lightbulb that illuminates the large room we’re in has cast him almost entirely in shadow. “What about your daughter?” A slight frown.

“That’s why I’m doing this.”

A feral snarl clawed up my throat; I could feel sweat begin to gather on my forehead. My heartbeat increased rapidly and my legs felt like they were cemented to the floor. Vincent’s Premiere Ball felt heavy in my palm as I prepared to throw it.

“I’m sorry Susan, but this has to happen,” the man called out to me, his Kadabra staring into its reflection in its spoon, unmoving.

I let my eyes shut for a second before throwing Vincent’s Poke-Ball. It smacked into a light fixture on the ceiling, dropped him in front of me. The ball landed on the far side of the room, but I didn’t track it exactly, instead focusing back on the Kadabra.

Its gaze remained fixed to the spoon, its entire form completely still. That was, except for its mouth. It was only a little twitch at first, at the corners. But then it kept going, a tiny smile growing into a grin, growing and growing until the corners of its mouth reached its eyes.

The spoon bent.

“Vincent watch out!” I called out, but he was already moving. A chair outlined in blue rippling energy flew at him, but he ducked it and charged. His fangs radiated with a black mist that flowed behind him as he leapt at the Psychic Pokemon.

A desk slammed into him, and then as he was flung into the wall a desperate cry filled the room, some blood appeared to sully his blue fur. “Vincent!”

My mind was harried with ideas on how to approach the situation.

I didn’t know what to do.

The man sat there, seemingly not issuing any commands at all.

Vincent’s health bar was already in the yellow, he couldn’t handle another.

I watched the Kadabra, still smiling in an almost perfect ‘U’. Its eyes flickered to the left, towards some stationery and writing implements.

“Vincent, use-!”

But I was still too slow, and he bolted to the right, a pencil shattering as it flew into the wall to his left. We were lucky.

Everything clicked into place. It had to see something to manipulate it.

My arms felt like they were moving through water as I pulled my Poke-Ball out of its holster, Reno appearing beside me. “Bite the Kadabra.”

My order is partially muffled by my movement, but all the same Reno began to fly towards his opponent. Vincent converged with Reno, both have shadows trickling from their jaws.

I pull hard on the leg of a nearby wooden chair; I hear it groan as the wood splinters.  
“What are you doing, Susan?” The man growled. “So desperate as to take up arms yourself?” The Kadabra began to manipulate multiple pieces of furniture, all hurtling towards my Pokemon.

I turned away from him and towards the lightbulb hung from the ceiling.

“Wait!” He called out but it’s too late. I leapt towards it, swinging the chair leg at the bulb.

I heard glass shatter, and the light flashed before disappearing from the room completely.

The wooden furniture clattered to the ground, and the man screamed as I heard my Pokemon gnash and claw at the Kadabra. Footsteps ran past me; I blindly swung at them but I didn’t hit anything.

A brilliant coruscating light confirmed that the man and his Kadabra were gone. I covered my eyes as both Vincent and Reno were cocooned within the glittering diamondlike brilliance. Their forms grew in size and shifted completely, and when that finished we were cast in darkness again.

A quick analysis of Vincent and Reno’s health bar detailed their fight, even in the dark. They’d both dropped down to the red. I couldn’t afford to let them see more combat, even with their new forms.

Careful to be quiet, I continued up the third set of stairs after returning the Pokemon. This time, I wasn’t greeted with any Galactic grunts. Rather, Jupiter herself was sitting on a chair in the middle of a wide-open room. I was only after I caught her eye that she dropped hers, studying me.

Her artificial purple hair was braided, dangling down her chest. Her outfit was an immodest one by design; her pants clung to her long legs and her jacket revealed some of her cleavage. As I looked at her, she smiled.

When Jupiter spoke, her words were Japanese. I had a passing familiarity with the language, though not nearly enough to understand it completely. “You came quickly.” She adds.

“What do you want from me?” I gripped Barrett’s Poke-Ball.

“Information.” Jupiter’s eyes scanned my face, looking for something. Just like Mars did. “I’ve heard a lot about you already. And we’re almost ready to begin. I’ll just need one more minute.” Her hand languidly traveled up to her hair, tossing a loose strand behind her ear. Her finger rested on her ear for a brief moment.

“Okay, what do you want to know?” I barked, my teeth grinding against each other. If she was going to be as big of a push over as Mars and her team was, I’d rather finish this now.

“All in due time.” She tapped her ear once more, speaking Japanese into it. She then raised her wrist to her mouth, she had a few different wristlets. She quietly whispered into one, my fingers twitched, but I hesitated. I wanted to know what they wanted. What all of this was. “It appears we’re ahead of schedule, would you join me upstairs?”

I didn’t respond, but I followed.

As I reached the top floor I could hear the battering of rain on glass. Every wall featured massive windows that went from floor to ceiling. Where there wasn’t windows, there was a wallpaper. It featured stars, planets, the sun and the moon, the more I looked at it the more it seemed like a single sprawling mural drawn around the room.

“Susan,” Jupiter said, walking towards a thin locker that stretched about six feet. “I’m sorry, she didn’t listen to you.”

She opened the cabinet and revealed Dawn, stuffed into the locker. Her hands were tied, and she avoided my gaze in shame. My eyes couldn’t find any wounds, but it didn’t stop me from rushing over.

“What did you do to her?” My voice cracked.

“Nothing much.” Jupiter moved about three feet away from the locker, though her eyes still lingered on us she allowed me to get to Dawn. My hands immediately began to more thoroughly check for wounds.

“I’m okay,” Dawn whimpered. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, you’re alright.” I reached for Rude’s Poke-Ball as I worked on the rope.

“I’ll give you this.” Jupiter’s voice continued to drone behind me. “I was impressed, it took us longer than I anticipated to understand how to defeat you.”

“Suzy, I’m so sorry.” Tears gently fell down Dawn’s cheek.

“Hey, look at me.” I grabbed her face. “This is not the time or place.” I shoved Rude’s Poke-Ball into her hand. “I want you to get behind me and use that if anyone comes near you.”

She took the Poke-Ball, nodding. “Okay.”

I turned to face Jupiter. “You want information?”

“Yes, as we-“

“You’ve got a war.” I dropped Barrett’s Poke-Ball, rage coursing through my veins. “Barrett, use Razor Leaf.”

Barrett snarled, his large form shaking as multiple leaves shot off towards Jupiter. A Zubat dove in front of her, taking the blow, it’s health bar barely budged.

“Fine,” Jupiter said. “If you want a demonstration, so be it.”

“Curse.” I had to ignore her goading. That was all it was. The colour was sapped from Barrett’s form once more, his eyes turning red. “Keep going.”

“Giga Drain.” Jupiter’s voice droned on. The Zubat barely managed to put a dent in Barrett’s health pool.

“Curse!” Once more I grit my teeth. Just a few more times and he’d steamroll her.

“Giga Drain.” What was she doing? She could see it wasn’t affecting him at all.

“Curse!!” It didn’t matter, she had already waited too long. All I had to do was attack-

“Smokescreen.” A billowing cloud of smoke shot out from beside me. I couldn’t see anything, and I lifted the scarf to cover my mouth I tried to find Barrett.

Zubat couldn’t learn Smokescreen.

“Withdraw!” I shouted through my coughing fit. I felt my knees buckle. The hunger and sleep deprivation mixed with the smoke inhalation caught up to me. Static began to cut into my vision, as my lungs struggled to keep up.

“I’m sorry, Susan.” Jupiter’s voice snapped me back to my senses. "But Mars' reconnaissance was a success."

Something's not right.

The smoke began to clear, and I could see Barrett in his shell still.

He was fine. I sighed in relief. “Barrett-“

More Japanese calls to another Pokemon. A Skuntank shot out from beside me, its claws elongating into a wicked, hooked blade. As Barrett followed my command to come out of his shell, the blade lowered.

Barrett’s form crumpled to the ground. My hand flew to his Poke-Ball to switch him out.

The red laser reached his body, but it didn’t return him. He stayed there.

His body didn’t move.

His corpse.

I'm dizzy, my vision closed around me. All I could see was Jupiter.

I felt my hand tighten around another Poke-Ball.

“Reno.” I threw it. “Bite.” However Aerith came out.

She’d do.

“Flame Wheel.” Aerith collided with the Skuntank.

“Barrett,” Dawn whispered; I could hear her sniffles. But my eyes weren’t moist. They were dry, they burned. I felt fire consume me and my Pokemon as it lit the Skuntank on fire. The flames shrieked in my ears, deafening me.

“Stomp.” I raised my voice so that she’d hear me. Was I screaming, or was it the flames?

Jupiter turned to me, saying something. I ignored her.

“STOMP!”

The Skuntank was reduced to paste below Aerith’s feet, her fiery mane shot in every direction, tears leaking down her eyes.

But mine kept dry. I was still staring at Jupiter.

“I’m going to-“ I felt something catch in my throat, she spoke into her wristlet once more, not waiting for me she jumped from the window..

I stumbled towards where she had been. “I’m gon-“

My vision clouded and the lump in my throat tried to force its way out. But I held it down, stopping my breathing as I bolted for the window. My fingernails dug into my palms, as they reached out towards the window sill. I wanted to jump after her, but it must’ve been thirty or forty feet up. My mouth opened once more, this time to scream at her.

But nothing came out. I tried once more, and only earned a squeak. I tried to hold everything back still, my throat felt white hot and my eyes had almost completely clouded over. I turned back to follow her out the door.

Aerith had laid down beside Barrett.

He was smiling.

I lost my vision entirely.

As soon as the first tear broke, the rest followed in an unbroken stream.


	11. It's the Only Direction You Can Go

I stared at Barrett, waiting for him to move. To lurch up and come lay on top of me, nibble on my ankles.

 

Dawn clung to me, sobbing. She’d offer me words of how it wasn’t my fault, only to rephrase them a few seconds later. I didn’t acknowledge her words, they passed through me completely.

 

“I...” My voice gave out before I could start. I decided to not bother with words. I shook myself free from Dawn, gently removing myself from her grasp.

 

My legs dragged against the floor as I crawled over to Barrett, stopping a foot short of him. “H-hey.”

 

I pointed his Poke-Ball at him, but he wasn’t returned. I tried again, and once more, nothing. My hand tightened around the ball, squeezing it until it hurt, and I just whipped it across the room. I could hear it clatter against something metallic but I kept my eyes on Barrett.

 

I gently kissed him, resting my forehead against his shell as I started shaking. “I’m so sorry.”

 

Wait.

 

“Take my health.” I whispered, waiting for the pain to set in. My palm pushed harder against him, fingers curled around the grass on his shell. “Please,” I begged.

 

I heard approaching footsteps.

 

The next couple minutes were a blur. People were moving around me, speaking to me, and I think I spoke back. One sat me down underneath a small canopy where the rain couldn’t reach me, and put a blanket around me. The wind blew some of the droplets onto my cheek, replacing the tears that had long since dried up.

 

“Suzy, can you hear me?” I could, but my eyes were focused on the four men carrying Barrett out of the building. “We’re going to be taking you in for questioning.”

 

“Hey!” Jude’s voice stopped the officer. “Give her a second to breathe.” He ran up to join us under the canopy.

 

The officer glared at him, but Jude met his gaze with just as much ferocity. “Fine, kid.” The officer walked away from me, straightening out his cap. “You have five minutes.”

 

Jude’s voice was gentler than the last time we spoke. “Hey Suzy, I heard about what happened from Dawn.” He slicked his hair back. “I think you should go home.”

 

“I-” My throat interrupted the thought with a hoarse cough. “Where’s Dawn?”

 

“She’s safe, they took her to get checked out ‘cause she had a few bruises too.” Jude peered into the rain. I tried to stand up beside him, but I fell back onto the bench. “Take your time.”

 

Jude took a seat next to me. “This is just my first time losing someone like this.” I waited for Jude to encourage me again. To be his usual chipper self. But all I heard was the rain. I looked at Jude. The rain that seeped down his face looked like tears. Maybe he was crying. But he wasn’t sad, he was frozen..

 

Frozen. Staring at me, through me.

 

“Sorry,” he cleared his throat. “Come again?”

 

“I said that this is my first time losing someone like this,” I repeated, and his jaw tightened and his eyes became like a stranger’s.

 

“Who the hell are you?” Jude’s face twisted into something I had never seen before. Something full of rage and horror. There was no more sympathy in his expression, nor his tone.

 

My pulse exploded into my jugular. “What are you talking about?” I asked nervously I could barely hear him over it and the rain.

 

“I knew you were different! Your hair, saying ‘god’, getting back with Dawn, deciding to go on a journey after what happened!” Jude was shouting.

 

He knew. I stood up to face him, my legs shook and my eyes darted around him.

 

“I’m Suzy!” I cried out.

 

“Bullshit.” Jude’s expression shifted from shocked to hurt. “What happened when we were ten years old, then?”

 

An ultimatum. I had no way of knowing. I closed my eyes.

 

“Your Turtwig was fucking killed. That’s why you never went on an adventure. That’s why I didn’t believe you were going to do it. That’s why Dawn and Suzy’s mom are so careful around you.” Jude started to spiral until he stopped entirely and faced passed me. “Dawn.”

 

“Stop,” I pleaded, but he started walking past me. “Jude!”

 

“I’m going to get Dawn and either you can tell her what’s going on or I will.”

 

Before I could plead my case further, Jude made a beeline towards Dawn.

 

I wanted to run, I wanted to go back home. I didn’t want any of this.

 

I didn’t ask for any of this.

 

Why was this happening to me?

 

Jude returned, dragging Dawn by the wrist.

 

I dragged myself out from under the canopy, the rain wasted no time seeping through my boots and my shirt. The blanket became a heavy weight on my shoulders as it soaked through. I could see the rain beading off of Dawn’s hair, all matted together into obsidian icicles.

 

“Dawn.” Her confused gaze caused me to tremble as thunder rocked the sky. Jude stared at me, full of righteous indignation. “Dawn, I’m not who you think I am.”

 

A rush of sympathy hit her all at once. She tried to reach out to me but I recoiled away.

 

“Stop!” I shouted at her. “I’m not her.”

 

“Suzy, I always knew who you were, it’s okay if-“

 

“I’m not your Suzy! Something happened, and sometimes I see her when I sleep, but she’s gone now and now I’m here.” I slowed myself down, I saw the confusion on Dawn’s face, and I needed to explain myself. So that this could end. “I met you at the café in Sandgem.”

 

Dawn took a step away from me, her outstretched hand frozen in place. “No, we met at Professor Rowan’s show when we were six.”

 

Her eyes looked into mine, trying to find a sign that I knew what she was talking about. That this was some big misunderstanding. Jude shook his head and turned away from us.

 

“I don’t believe you.” Her voice wavered. “Stop it!” She seemed like she was going over everything in her head, trying to make sense of what I was telling her.

 

“I didn’t know about Floaroma Town!” I shouted back at her. Her expression shifted, jaw clenching subtly. “I bet you told Suzy about that, didn’t you?”

 

Dawn’s hand fell to her side. The last bit of sympathy was pulled from her eyes by the rain. “Give me my scarf back.”

 

I felt a pang reverberate from my chest and I almost dropped from the impact. I gently uncoiled the scarf, opening up my throat to the rain. The last bit of warmth I had left me.

 

“The real Suzy was the one who told me about Floaroma’s field.” She turned. “Jude.”

 

They both left, vanishing into the storm.

 

I sunk to my knees, the grassy mud enveloping my legs. I needed someone to do something. To help me. To save me I was only waiting for my consciousness to be taken away from me. All I could think of was breathing into Dawn’s scarf and hugging Barrett.

 

What was the point of this adventure? Was it a test? No. That wasn’t right. This was a demonstration. I wasn’t capable. I was given a life, to teach and protect. Now I didn’t even know where he was taken. What they did with his body.

 

This was a second chance, and I wasted it.

 

I hadn’t done anything with my life before. I never did anything for myself. This was my chance to be something more. To be something worth anything.

 

I started to think of my gift, the ability given to me by the other Suzy, the original Suzy. The ability to take my life and put it into another creature. The Blessed and the Damned. What kind of deity could offer me that power? What kind of deity thought of that kind of power as a minor gift?

 

The exhaustion my adrenaline had been so valiantly fighting back was taking over. I felt my body start to give in. My bruises ached; my eyes couldn’t stay open. Gravity was pulling me harder into the Earth. I wanted to accept its embrace. To forget.

 

I heard footsteps.

 

“Ma’am, we’re going to bring you-“

 

I didn’t care.

 

I felt the wet mud on my cheek, and then, nothing.

 

I thought about what I would say to the other Suzy. She had to witness her trauma again through my eyes. Watched Dawn go through that, too but I never saw her. Even the other version of myself had abandoned me.

 

I was alone.

 

I spun in unconsciousness, until the sound of a chair screeching against the floor pulled me out.

 

“Hey kid, you up?” A man slurped on something that smelled like three hour-old coffee.

 

I lifted my head from the small puddle of drool on the desk in front of me, and wiped my eyes. “What?”

 

“So, you’re alive,” Looker mumbled, taking another big sip of coffee.

 

“Where am I?” I looked down at my side, and I saw a small tube sticking of my forearm. I quickly scanned the room.

 

It was a two-toned blank room with a massive mirror behind me. A single light hung directly above the table Looker and I were seated at, and lit the room with a pale sickly yellow hue. No one else was around.

 

“The IV is strictly to get you rehydrated and healthy again.” Looker motioned towards the mirror behind me. “If you’d like, I can get you some soup we have in the other room.”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Well,” Looker started, his eyes meeting mine. “I was hoping you’d be able to tell me more about your connection with Team Galactic.”

 

I started to laugh. “You want to know my connection to team Galactic?” I leaned in towards him. “Fuck you.”

 

“Suit yourself,” Looker said, groaning a little as he lifted himself out of his chair.

 

“They killed my fucking Pokemon!” I shouted after him, but he was already closing the door behind him.

 

He closed the door behind him gently, and I was left alone in the room, but only for a second. Before I could gather my thoughts, the door burst open again. A stilettoed foot elegantly landed on the floor. A woman strode into the room with an annoyed look on her face.

 

“Cynthia...” My mouth hung open at the woman. A massive, thick blonde braid swung behind her like a pendulum. A shade of crimson lipstick adorned her lips, and an ethereal suit that was cut to precision left gentle lines around her waist. In one hand was a bowl of soup, in the other a wine glass filled to the brim with a liquid as red as her lips.

 

“Susan.” Cynthia gently laid the bowl of soup out in front of me. My bandaged hands gingerly grasped the bowl, but it wasn’t warm. I looked around for any utensils, and Cynthia handed me a spoon. I gingerly lifted a spoonful of broth to my lips, and took a quick sip, slurping loudly. It was earthy, and lacked any distinct flavour outside of bitterness.

 

“Yum.”

 

“Well, I know it’s not that good.” Cynthia took her spot across from me with a knowing grin. She took a sip from her glass and licked her lips, they curled into a smile. “You look bad, Susan. But I’ve come to help.” Her breath smelled like wine and honey.

 

“Right.”

 

“So why were you face down in the mud in the middle of a rainstorm?” Cynthia asked, sounding genuinely curious.

 

“I fought some Galactic members, they killed my Pokemon and then-“ I stopped myself.

 

She crossed her legs. “And then?”

 

I felt a pressure build up in my nose, but I took a harsh breath to avoid crying. “I guess my only friends found out I was lying to them.”

 

“What were you lying about?”

 

What was I going to tell her? My identity? That only made me sound more suspicious.

 

“I wasn’t who I said I was.”

 

“I see,” Cynthia sighed. Her tongue ran along her teeth while she sized me up.

 

“I hadn’t slept in a while either.”

 

“That sounds difficult.”

 

“Yeah, well, it was.” I lifted more of the soup to my mouth, slurping it up loudly.

 

“Well at least now you’re out of the rain, eating warm food-“ She glanced at the soup. “Okay maybe not warm food, but you’re eating.”

 

“Yeah,” I agreed. “All I’ve got left are ‘at least’s’. At least I’m not dead, like Barrett. At least I wasn’t lied to, like Jude and Dawn."

 

Cynthia pushed forward towards me. Propping herself onto her elbows. “Hey listen, I know you’re down a Pokemon.”

 

“I’m not down a Pokemon, he fucking died,” I snapped.

 

“Yeah?” Cynthia returned my glare, challenging me.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Maybe it’s time you start examining whose fault that really is.”

 

I reeled back. “Are we done?” I glowered at her.

 

“I’m not.” She stood up from her chair, walking out of the room.

 

I reached for my Poke-Balls, groaning when I felt the empty holster. They must’ve taken them off me while I was out. My eyes were locked on the door, waiting for Cynthia to re-enter. Just as seconds began to blur into minutes Cynthia re-entered the room. She was holding what looked like a fairly large cylinder of glass. Inside it, was an egg with blue and red triangles scattered about its shell.

 

“A Togepi egg.”

 

So, some things were still going according to script. This world never ceased to confuse me.

 

“Impressive, have you seen one before?” Cynthia asked.

 

“Mhm.” Another half-truth. I’d just been ousted for lying, yet here I was, diving back in.

 

Cynthia examined me; her interest seemingly piqued. “So. Are you giving up? Are you ready to admit that this league is too much for you?”

 

“No.” I forced the last of the soup into my mouth before dropping the spoon into the bowl and pushing it forward. “I’m going to beat every gym leader.” My gaze settled on the champion, who leaned against the door. “And then I’m going to beat you.”

 

“You can have the egg when you prove that.”

 

“I give you my word, I’m going to beat-“

 

“You lied to your friends,” Cynthia challenged me, but still her tone was somewhat supportive. “Actions speak louder than words, you’ll earn it.”

 

“How?” I ask.

 

“Underneath the cycling road, there’s a cave. I want you to go there, you’ll know it when you see it. If you can do that with your current team, I’ll give you this Pokemon.” Cynthia said, her eyes still fixed on my small form. “You need to train your remaining Pokemon, and beat Gardenia.” She unbuttoned her suit jacket, reaching into it.

 

“What if I don’t?”

 

Cynthia sighed, and pulled out her Pokedex. A tired old thing, the outer camera cracked. She made a show of walking over to me, pressing the machine against my cheek. She pressed a button and quietly, I heard my own voice over the rainfall. “I’m not your Suzy! Something happened, sometimes I see her when I sleep, but she’s gone now and I’m here.”

 

“If you don’t complete those tasks in a month, I’ll have to file my report with the international police.”

 

My eyes widened. “I didn’t do anything!”

 

“Susan.” Cynthia’s eyes shut, and she took a deep breath, holding it for a long time. When they opened, her goldenrod eyes glimmered in the pale-yellow light.

 

She approached me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry about what happened to you,” she whispered. “But it’s time that you grow up and move forward. It’s the only direction you can go.” her expression seemed to soften as she knelt down to look me in the eyes.

 

Her words were familiar enough to sting. Forward, the only direction I can go. I could hear myself saying them to Dawn at Lake Verity. I swallowed my melancholy, choking on it a little as it seeped down.

 

“You can’t take this path if you’re not ready to deal with the consequences.”

 

“Okay,” I said. ”I’ll do it.” I tugged on the IV still lodged in my arm. A high pitched scream rocketed through my head as it was wrenched out of me. I held my palm to my arm holding the bleeding off until I could find a bandage.

 

“Good. Come get your things leave.” Cynthia pushed the door open, motioning to exit. When she looked at me, there was a shade of something I caught in her eye. It was almost a sense of recognition.

 

“Thanks,” I offered her.

 

She handed me back my Poke-Balls, or what was left of them. I had Vincent, Reno, and Aerith. Barrett was gone, and I had given Dawn Rude. I needed to rebuild.

 

I took a deep breath and pushed past Cynthia. “I’ll see you soon.”

 

“Careful, Suzy.” She closed the door behind me, giving a glance to Looker, who nodded at her. “I’m helping you here, don’t forget that.”

 

“Yeah, okay,” I replied. “Thanks, I guess.”

 

I walked out of the station, exiting into the cold Eterna air. Glancing down at a puddle my reflection rippled


	12. I Don't Wanna Be You, Anymore

I left the Poke-center, stuffing the six great balls I bought in my pocket. Freezing rain and storm clouds greeted me. Night had fallen, the puddles I trampled through half-frozen in the cold. The thinnest layers of ice had formed, dazzlingly bright under the lights over the road.

 

I ran towards Route 206, the cycling road. In the games they wouldn’t let you on the path without a bike, and I didn’t have the money to buy one. In Platinum, you’d have expected the bike shop owner to be with Jupiter, but only Dawn was.

 

Dawn.

 

I was winded by my own self-loathing as the rain soaked through the other Suzy’s tired old coat. Water seeped through all of the amateur patching, and down to my skin. It sapped the heat from my body, and some of my confidence, too.

 

Solace came in the form of a transitional building leading to the cycling route; a rectangular prism painted slate grey and a pale faded green on top. Stepping inside, I ruined a nice Pokemon themed carpet. It was adorned with fanciful Poke-Balls and Pokemon, now sopping wet as I rung out my hair.

 

“Hi there, ma’am!” a woman called from behind me.

 

“Hi, how are you?” I asked.

 

“I’m doing well. I’m sorry ma’am, do you not have a bike?”

 

I glanced around. “That obvious, huh?” I chuckled a bit, but her expression darkened, so much so that it completely took me off guard.

 

“I’m sorry to say, but I can’t let you on the cycling road without a bike,” she dictated.

 

“That’s alright.” I glanced towards the exit, she followed me gaze. “I’m actually just headed below the cycling road to the Wayward Cave.”

 

“I understand.” The clerk straightened out her top. “But unfortunately, that falls under the same area as the cycling road.”

 

Damn. She really wasn’t going to let me pass. Well, I was left with only one option.

 

“Okay, I understand. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain that to me,” I said, before turning and running towards the route.

 

“Hey! Stop!”

 

I burst through the double doors and took off down the slick paved road. I couldn’t see many people biking, probably due to the weather. I scanned the road for any possible exits, sure, the game might not have had any but this was a world where people surely built an emergency exit…

 

Surely…

 

“Stop you can’t be out here without a bike!”

 

She was gaining on me. Who was this lady? The terminator? My feet slammed the pavement as I continued down the pathway. I looked over the bridge down below for some kind of exit, some escape. The only thing I saw that was an option was a small lake.

 

A lake? That’s my option? I’m going to jump thirty feet into a lake?

 

“Lady, I will call the cops!” The attendant shouted as she struggled to keep up with me.

 

I definitely didn’t want to have to talk to Looker again. As she approached me, I closed my eyes, pulled out my Pokedex and lifted it up as high as I could reach. Hopefully this thing’s waterproof.

 

Then, I jumped.

 

The water caught up to me faster than I anticipated.

 

“Shi-“

 

Holy fucking shit.

 

The freezing water invaded every inch of my body, I nearly gasped, even underwater, from the shock. My legs were sore, and every muscle in my body seemed to lock in the freezing depths as I sunk towards the bottom of the lake, and I opened my eyes.

 

The waters were illuminated by the soft green glow of my Pokedex above me, and for a moment the only sound was the soft thumping of rain above me. A quiet, consistent drumming about twenty feet above where I was. Some Magikarp bobbed towards me, trying to see if I had any food, but they scattered as I started to move. My eyes caught a small tunnel leading northward towards the cave, but was quickly pulled away by a Mantine and a school of Remoraid gently floating down below me.

 

I guess this lake must’ve fed into an ocean somewhere, or maybe they were also freshwater Pokemon? Is that how this world works? My brain was growing tired with no oxygen. My legs kicked against some of the algae and seaweed that grew around the rocky floor. After a few seconds of swimming I reached the top of the water.

 

My heart pounded in my ears, and the thunderstorm welcomed me with a fresh crack of lightning. The relative warmth of the air outside made my breath steam like a kettle.

 

“Are you kidding me?!” The woman called from the cycling road above. “You could’ve died!”

 

“I’m alright! I’ll be back later!” I called back, ignoring her hostility. I began to swim to shore as the attendant cursed something under her breath and started to walk away. I gathered my things underneath the road to get out of the rain for a moment. I laid my Pokedex down on the ground – thank god it was waterproof.

 

I felt a pang of panic leap through my best as I checked for my Poke-Balls. Laying them out in front of me, there were only three. Vincent’s Premiere Ball, Aerith’s Poke-Ball and Reno’s Poke-Ball. I dug my hands into my pockets, starting to look at the lake to see if anything had started floating, Barrett had to be somewhere-

 

Oh.

 

Oh, right.

 

How could I forget that?

 

It just happened.

 

I never got to bury him.

 

I don’t even know where he is.

 

I gently set the remaining three Poke-Balls in front of me. Freshly healed, polished, and rain slicked, they shone even in the dim light. Reno’s had a small dent still. The Premiere Ball’s paint was beginning to fade to a stainless steel in a few places where it had impacted.

 

I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes.

 

My chest rose, and I held it there for a moment. Letting my lungs begin to panic before exhaling. The downpour seemed to fade into my periphery.

 

Gently, I placed one ball in front of me and released the Pokemon held within. Vincent sprung out, still growling ready for a fight.

 

“Hey, hey buddy,” I whispered. He shook off some of the water from his matted hair and little sparks shot off the water, climbing up and around him for a few feet. “Listen, I want to talk to you.”

 

Vincent mewed affectionately, climbing into my lap.

 

“Okay, let’s get the others out first.” I reached behind me with my right while my left scratched Vincent’s chin.

 

Reno was next. I released him and he immediately gave a frazzled shriek. The bat’s huge tongue dangled haphazardly, licking the side of my face.

 

“Hey, do you want to sit down for a bit?” I asked, my voice cracking as I did. I shook with each distant rumble of thunder that crawled through the clouds above me.

 

Reno obeyed, plopping down beside me and covering himself with his right wing. His left extended around me, trying to keep me out of the rain. I smiled at him when I reached for my third and final remaining Poke-Ball.

 

Its lightness belied the weight it held over me. Aerith was the only one that had seen what happened. I tapped the centre of the Poke-Ball, releasing her into the night’s mist.

 

The flames on her back rapidly expanded, sizzling as the rain flew through them. Her nostrils flared and she looked at me, concerned.

 

“Hey girl,” I relented. Vincent looked up at me, licking some of the tears off of my chin. I choked on my own saliva as I forced myself to swallow. My nose seared with pain as my tear ducts began to open. “Um, so, Barrett isn’t going to be traveling with us anymore.” Aerith neighed in protest, dragging her front hoof across the muddy soil.

 

“I know it’s hard, it’s… It’s really hard right now,” I sniffled, reaching out towards her, but my hand stopped short. I could feel the intense heat from her mane. My eyes opened as I stared in disbelief, she sneered at me. She wasn’t sad. She was angry.

 

“Hey…” I moved my hand closer still, the flames licked out at me and I felt them burn my palm. “Hey!” I pulled my hand back.

 

Aerith once more neighed at me, her eyes filled with fire. She rose up onto her back legs before landing heavily on her front.

 

“What did you want me to do-“ My objection was cut off by Aerith taking a step closer to me, her flames flaring up once more, my jacket began to steam from my proximity to her.

 

“Stop!” I pushed myself back, nearly falling onto Reno’s wing. “I tried!”

 

Reno moved out from beside me while Aerith stared at me. “Fine! Just go! If you want to leave me too then you can go! I don’t care! I don’t need anyone to help me!” I curled in on myself, shaking as the rain blew into me. I felt the heat of Aerith’s flames approach once more.

 

I closed my eyes. I waited for her to attack me or run.

 

I felt the water begin to bead and shirk away from my form, as Aerith’s heat continued to grow, enveloping me.

But it wasn’t painful.

 

I raised my head and saw Reno, Vincent, and Aerith all huddled around me, warming me up.

 

“I…”

 

The sounds of the rainfall silenced our cries as we clung to each other. These weren’t just animals. I guess I thought they were before.

 

I returned each of them to their balls after a few minutes. Where I knew the entrance to Wayward Cave to be, beneath the bridge there was a gigantic boulder, it was seemingly sealed.

 

“Well,” I sighed, examining the seal. It was a fairly massive boulder, no doubt placed by some powerful Pokemon. The dewy grass around It had grown to hug the sides of the massive rock. It left me with no way forward.

 

Until, I remembered the tunnel I had seen in the lake. It was headed North.

 

I nervously approached the lake once more; looking down into the depths I had no way of making out.

 

I tried to find a reason to not try it.

 

I came up with plenty.

 

And yet here I was.

 

I tried to steady my breaths, trying to slow my heart rate a little. The storm clouds continued to

 

I dove into the water, my Pokedex illuminating the way forward.

 

The familiar green depths of the lake shone in the electronic light from my Pokedex. Once more the quiet drumming was the only sound.

 

Without a clear guess as to how long I had, I squeezed into the jagged tunnel as carefully as I could. It looked like it was about 20 feet long, but the rocks dug into me. It forced me to rotate so that I was facing the surface that I could no longer see.

 

The stones that jutted out raked into my thighs and back as I pulled myself along the rocks. Reaching the halfway point had taken nearly a minute and my lungs were starting to burn. I didn’t have any Pokemon that could swim to help me, nor did I have enough room to turn around, but at this rate I was going to need to breathe before I reached the end.

 

Gritting my teeth together, I pulled myself faster. The rocks ground against my legs, I could feel the warmth of blood beginning to seep from the wounds. Cold soon replaced the warmth once more though, and made it harder and harder to pull myself along. I felt myself grow exhausted.

 

I regretted coming here.

 

 

Am I going to die here?

 

 

I looked ahead. The entrance was only five feet away, I could almost reach it, but I couldn’t.

 

No one knew where I was.

 

What about the other me? Was she watching this?

 

Dawn? Would she even care? I wasn’t her Suzy after all.

 

Jude hated me.

 

Cynthia didn’t care either.

 

 

 

No one cared about me.

 

 

I’m so sleepy.

 

 

 

 

No one would save me.

 

 

I should just sleep.

 

I opened my eyes, maybe for the last time. Kate was there, smiling at me. She cupped my face in her hands, gently stroking my cheek with her thumb. She looked… Proud.

 

“Suzy.” Kate looked at me, her face was as pale as porcelain and her blue eyes were made of the same water enveloping me. “Move.”

 

The regret forming a pit in my stomach turned to survival-fueled fear in my chest as I pulled myself one last time. I twisted my body, scraping my hips and waist as I shoved myself through the opening. I managed to get my head above the water. I wheezed in an attempt to quell my screaming lungs.

 

I clambered out of the cave; I felt my entire lower half sting as it touched the comparably very warm cave air. Steam drifted off of my form, dissipating into the darkness, the green glow of my Pokedex once again the only light. The cave itself was silent, save for the dripping water off of me. I couldn’t make out much, but the ground seemed to be pretty smooth. My hand drifted to my side, to Vincent’s ball, and released him. He began to give off that pale blue glow that was so familiar to me now.

 

I stowed the Pokedex, glancing around for the Gible Cynthia had told me about.

 

At least Gible’s were weak.

 

I tried to stop my hand from shaking by clutching a Great Ball in one.

 

I didn’t see it, though, I heard it.

 

A violet glow was accompanied by a low humming noise, it almost sounded mechanical. It increased in speed and volume, I realized what it was too late to stop it.

 

A beam shot through the cave, temporarily illuminating it. Zubats who were sleeping among the stalactites scattered all at once, some beginning to attack me and Vincent, others fleeing deeper into the cave. Its trail scorched the ground, and I felt the water coating my body heat up from the blast.

 

“Vincent you okay?” I called out, scanning around for him. I saw his health bar first.

 

10/50.

 

40 Damage in a single attack? What kind of-

 

Dragon Rage.

 

“Vincent return!” The hum began anew sending another streak of violet devastation deeper into the cave, but I ducked to the side. I could barely make out the source of the trouble.

 

The Zubats all screamed through the air - flying circles around me. I tried to swat them away, but I didn’t feel any real impact as they all managed to avoid my clumsy hand.

 

“Reno!” I threw the ball as far forward as I could manage. It must’ve collided with some rock somewhere, because I heard a ding further off into the cave. Without Vincent I couldn’t see him or it. “Use confuse ray on the Gible!”

 

I turned towards the Pokemon, trying to close some distance before a third ray of energy arced out towards where I was, throwing me to the ground.

 

I saw Reno in the flash, staring into the Gible’s eyes. But I didn’t know if it worked or not.

 

“Okay Reno go hide!” As soon as the Golbat turned its back on the dragon, another ray of energy lanced outward, nearly bisecting the Pokemon.

 

17/57

 

“Fuck!” I didn’t have his Poke-Ball right now. It was somewhere in the cave. I threw Aerith’s ball directly at the Gible, nearly hitting it before it clattered onto a rock and released the flaming horse.

 

She tried to stomp on the Gible, illuminated by her mane, while I searched for potions in my pockets. I came up empty. How could I forget healing items?

 

“Reno, hide!”

 

The orange hue the cavern had took on since Aerith’s appearance slowly shifted to violet as another beam charged in its mouth.

 

40/40

 

I couldn’t let her get hit. I ran out towards her as she brought her hoof, wreathed in flames towards the tiny dragon who was getting ready to blast her.

 

“Please no!” I screamed. The beam arced out, her foot fell and I whispered a few words under my breath.

 

“Please, take my health.”

 

Pain rocked my body as my eyes shot open. The Gible was close to me. I watched as bruises set in, arcing down nerves like I had been struck by lightning. Small scars seared their way up my arm, I could feel them intricately weave around my skin.

 

I grabbed a Great Ball from my pocket and threw it as hard as I could at the Gible, only a foot away. It lightly tapped him, and my head hit the cavern floor, hard.

 

“Suzy…” Her voice was demure, gentle, sisterly. “Suzy it’s okay.”

 

I felt warm. I was swathed in something familiar. Was it a blanket?

 

Kate?

 

Am I back?

 

My eyes shot open, and I saw myself looking down at me.

 

Or, it was almost me.

 

“I’m so sorry about what happened.” She was crying, her undyed brown hair let down to her shoulders, just like my own.

 

We were at Lake Verity. Again.

 

The sky was blank, a starless, sunless sea of pitch. I was being coddled by my other self.

 

“I lost Barrett,” I said, removing myself from my other’s grasp. “Dawn and Jude, too.”

 

“I know,” she trembled. “I’m so sorry.” She wiped her tears from her eyes.

 

“Hey, what should I call you?” I asked, she wiped her face a little, looking up at me.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“We’re both named Suzy. I need something to call you, so that we feel different,” I said.

 

“Oh.” She took a breath through her runny nose, shifting so that she sat on her knees. “Yeah I thought the same thing.”

 

“Okay, well how about a middle name?”

 

“What’s a middle name?” She asked me.

 

“Uh… It’s like a second-place name, something your parents wanted to call you but decided against, kind of.”

 

“Do you have a middle name?” Suzy asked me.

 

“Yeah, my full name is Susan Adel Beauchamp.”

 

“What if I call you Adel?” She leaned forward a little. I noticed that she was once more wearing the oversize jacket and jeans, though the jeans and jacket were now sopping wet and torn. I guess because they were in the real world, it still struck me as odd.

 

I was still wearing pajamas.

 

“I guess that works,” I replied shrugging.

 

“Adel, it’s nice to meet you again.” Suzy offered me her hand.

 

I took it. “It’s nice to meet you too Suzy.” While the awkward silence hung in the air, I couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“It’s nice to go by something other than Suzy.” I chuckled.

 

“Why’s that?” She asked me.

 

“I don’t wanna be you anymore,” I whispered.

 

“Then why don’t you just be you?” She asked.

 

Was it really that simple?

 

“Don’t try to be me!” Suzy stood up, her face twisted in pain as she pulled at her heart through her clothes. “I wish I was with you out there, but I’m not! I’m stuck here. Don’t try to be me! Use what you have. It’s why you chose to go anyway!”

 

“Wait.” My eyes started to dart around Lake Verity. Or whatever this version of Lake Verity was. “What do you mean I chose to go?”

 

Suzy opened her mouth to respond, but she vanished, and I was back in the Wayward Cave.


	13. Adel

“And just what the hell were you thinking jumping off a bridge?” Dawn’s voice cracked like glass, sharply, almost imperceptible. I heard it though.

“I wasn’t.” I spoke in soft mutters. I didn’t want to look at her face so I settled for her laces. They were done up in perfect, neat little bows. In my hand I was holding a Poke-Ball, Dawn seemed to have noticed it. 

“Well whatever Pokemon you got it better have been worth it,” she spat. A bit of an insult seeped into her words. It was decidedly cold of her, the way she said it. 

“Yeah.” I raised my head, meeting her gaze.

Oh, she’s crying. 

“It was,” I smiled. It was faint, weak, and untrue. But I did it anyway. 

You made her cry.

You piece of fu- “Good.” She fixed her usually perfectly kept hair so that it could returned to its usual place. “I’m not going to do this again.” She lowered her voice in an attempt to coax those who were staring at us to stop. “I don’t know you. So, don’t call me again S-.”

Like a needle, those words. 

Ow.

“Yeah, I won’t, sorry.” I quickly slurred, pulling my hood up over my head. “I’m going to go if I can, thanks.” 

I think she tried to speak further, but I pushed past my polite upbringing and ignored it. I caught the Gible, for whatever that was worth. As long as Eterna wasn’t suddenly a fucking Ice-type gym it should be a cinch.

It wasn’t until I stepped outside that I noticed how hot I had gotten waiting in there. I felt the cold air surround me and my breath begin to fog. It was nice, calming really. While it lasted.

“You’re out.” Cynthia’s voice was about as recognizable as my own. Not because of how well I knew her, and she sure as hell wasn’t voiced in any of the games I played. Rather, she was maybe the third person I met whose voice varied from the regional Sinnoh accent. It’s hard to explain the accent in Earth-terms because it didn’t perfectly mirror any one regional accent. But Cynthia and a few others were the only ones to avoid that peculiarity. 

“Thanks for the help with that,” I waved to her. 

“Did you get it?” She scooted right past my sarcasm; on another level I suppose.

“Yeah,” I replied. I shoved the Poke-Ball towards her and tapped the button. 

The white beam of light revealed, as expected, a Gible. 

“Female, that’s lucky.” Cynthia got onto her knees to inspect the Pokemon. 

“How can you tell from a glance like that?” I asked. 

“It’s in the way they carry themselves,” Cynthia said. She picked up the Gible, the small sand shark dozed off as soon as its feet left the ground. Though the level that was apparent to myself belied inexperience I suppose it was still a young little thing. “A calm nature, could be worse.” 

“I guess so, yeah.” 

“Have you named her?” Cynthia turned the sleeping Gible to face me. 

“Not yet, no.” I said, but before I could begin to think of a name Cynthia shoved the Gible into my chest. 

“See to it you don’t get this one killed.” 

“Fuck off,” I spat. 

“I’ll be watching you tomorrow morning, best of luck with Eterna’s Gym.” Cynthia’s voice became more upbeat under pressure, which only served to further stoke the fire in my chest.

Steam blew from my nose as I turned on my heels and marched off towards the Pokemon Center. It was late and I needed to sleep if I was going into tomorrow with an even head.

“Hi welcome to the Poke-“ The woman whose name was almost certainly not Joy stopped and stared as my waterlogged form drenched the welcome mat. She was actually quite different from those who typically were pictured as working at Pokemon Centres. For starters, she was blonde, wearing a low cut shirt that left very little to the imagination and had an Ekans tattoo curling up from the back of her hand to her collarbone. She looked like Team Rocket, if anything. “Oh my! Are you crazy you’re going to catch a cold!” 

“Yeah, sorry.” 

“You’re fine babe,” she said.

I nearly did a double take at her. 

“You looking for a room?” She was starting to pull off my coat. My face warmed up and I shuffled to the side to avoid getting close to her.

“Y-yeah,” I nodded.

“Mmkay.” She brushed some of the hair lingering on her cheek behind her ear. “Just give me one second.” She smiled, I melted. The euphoria of a crush faded by the time I got into my room.

I shed my wet clothes and crawled into the bed, huddling my Poke-Balls under the blanket because for some reason I felt like emulating a mother hen.

I anticipated sleep to come quickly, and enact its revenge on my reckless day. But it didn’t. 

Hours passed.

I miss Kate. I kept telling myself I only missed the idea of her, or her embrace, or her hair, or her scent, her lips, her laugh. I kept telling myself I only missed parts of her until I ran out of parts to declare I missed. 

I rolled over towards the clock; green digital letters screamed at me to sleep. Informed me of the sun’s imminence. I had searched for my dreamless eternity for four hours now, but all I found was the hard, cold floor. An uneasiness began to set in, by all accounts I had just had an exhausting day. Nearly 14 hours of hiking, battling, foraging. But I wasn’t tired. I wasn’t groggy or heavy. I was as light as air. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to get back to her, to complete this challenge and return. 

Was that an option? I had no clue, it wasn’t clear to me, and yet, it was all I knew. From the first time I laid a hand on Barrett’s Poke-Ball my situation was contextualized in a way I had not been ready to admit until this restless hour challenged my mind. A Nuzlocke challenge was just that. A challenge. Something you were likely to lose. But it presented a scenario in which I attained victory. 

This wasn’t an aimless adventure. It was a guided mission. I could win. I knew what I needed to do, and that knowledge gave me power that shook my body with anticipation. I was wracked with the ability to change my situation. For the first time, my position in this world was in my hands. 

I felt like I could eat the entire world raw.

When I woke up, I knew what I was going to do. 

“How’d you sleep babe?” The attendant called out to me, a wool cardigan covering her ink I had seen last night. 

“Beautifully.” I called back to her.

“What are your plans for the day?” She asked, leaning over the reception desk and propping herself up on her elbows.

“What’s your name?” I asked a bravado passing over me that I was unaccustomed to.

“Emily.” She called, back her cheeks flushing a little.

“Emily,” I lingered on it for a moment. “I’m Adel, can you hold these for me?” I handed her four Poke-Balls.

“Okay Adel, why are you giving me these?” She asked.

“Because I’m going to go beat Gardenia with just this.” I held up the Poke-Ball and for a moment I was transported back to the mines in Oreburgh. 

When I did the same thing with… Him.

Stop. Focus.

“I’ll be waiting!” Emily shouted as I forced myself out of the doors. “I’ll buy drinks!” 

The morning air assaulted my warm figure as soon as the glass door swung shut to the Pokemon Centre. I felt a certain amount of anxiety set in, but just like when I jumped into the lake, I pushed it aside.

I could see a Pokemon I hadn’t anticipated seeing in this region walking up and down the quiet morning roads of Eterna. A Sawsbuck, a sizeable one at that, running its antlers up and down the snow-paved roads. Perhaps I stared too long, because the Pokemon’s ears seemed to make a small micro-adjustment before standing straight up and looking at me.

It was odd how the stare of a Pokemon, certainly more intelligent than most animals, yet still incapable of truly communicating could judgemental in the way it regarded me. 

Its eyes were soulful, there was something behind them that wasn’t just 1’s and 0’s. 

Maybe that was my mistake. 

Treating this like a game. A game with rules, logic it would follow. 

Not leaving space for eventual entropy. 

Eterna’s Gym was a monolith of my own failure. Trees and shrubs littering the grounds and populating my every gaze. There was nothing I could do to avoid looking at them, to think about them. To picture what he’d look like fully grown.

I pushed open the frosted glass doors and allowed myself to breathe in the scent of the local flora. There was an oddly strong pine scent from inside that I could’ve sworn was some kind of artificially made creation, but it didn’t really matter.

My expectations were constantly diverted. Where once stood a gigantic flower-shaped clock in the middle of the gym, now stood a small grove. Of course, that would be different. 

The woman standing in the middle of the grove was a short redhead, with a green poncho on. She was sitting down staring at the doors, Cynthia was leaned up against a nearby tree. 

“-told you she’s not going to…” Gardenia trailed off. 

Cynthia clearing her throat was the only form of bragging she’d engage in, a bit of restraint from the resident champion was a bit unusual.

“Suzy, is it?” Gardenia asked, throwing herself to her feet.

“Adel.” I shot a glare at Cynthia. “Is what I’ve been going by, actually.” 

“Okay, Adel.” Gardenia shot a glare back at the champion before shrugging off the poncho she had been wearing. Underneath it she wore a sports bra and some leggings; she certainly didn’t look shy next to me. “I’m offering you a specific kind of challenge, because the champion seems to think you deserve a different kind of test.”

I slid off my coat and felt my skin, exposed to the pine-scented air, brace the cold temperature. “What’s the challenge?”

“One on one.” Gardenia explained. “If you win, I won’t make you go through the gauntlet of the gym, and you won’t have to face my whole team.” 

“And if you lose,” Cynthia strode forward. “You forfeit the league challenge, right now.” 

“That’s the bet?” I felt my heart yank towards the door. I knew I shouldn’t do it. The leather chord around my neck felt heavy-

The rope? I pulled my fingers along my collarbone, plucking it like a string and found the necklace I used to wear. Kate gave it to me.

It was my necklace.

Not Suzy’s. 

“Done.” I pulled the Poke-Ball from my hip. 

“Okay,” Gardenia said. She did the same, grabbing the ball from her hip. “Sorry about this Adel.” 

“What do you mean?” I called out, far too late as the Poke-Ball was already spinning from her fingertips. 

The turtle Pokemon, bearing bushes on his back looked up at me. Determined to defeat it’s opponent. 

I slowly trailed from it, to Cynthia, staring at her.

“Go ahead, throw out your Gible.” 

I don’t know what Ii felt or expected from Cynthia up until this point. Initially, I think it was a sort of attraction mixed with latching onto someone after losing Jude and Dawn. I think another part of me believed that she wanted to help me. Maybe this is her trying to help, it’s not totally clear. It was cruel, but maybe that’s her style.

But right now, all I wanted was to shut her the fuck up. 

“I didn’t bring a Gible to this gym.” I answered.

“Why not?” Cynthia growled.

“Because I had a better option.” I threw the Poke-Ball up and Reno burst out of it, his fangs dripping in saliva and his tongue bouncing around wildly as he sized up his next snack. “Is this a test to see if I have what it takes to hurt a Grotle? Because of what happened to Barrett? Do you think I’m that weak?”

“Fight.” Cynthia muttered.

“Razor Leaf!” 

“Wing Attack, power through it.” I shuddered at the callousness of my own voice and tactic, but I knew the typing at play. 

Reno’s uncanny maw was harried by leaves, but he seemed mostly unphased. He dipped low t the ground, slicing up against the turtle with his wing before flapping twice to avoid a bite from the turtle. 

“Rock Slide!” Gardenia quickly shifted pace and the Grotle plunged its head into the Earth. I caught Cynthia’s disappointed gaze out of the corner of my eye. She knew I wasn’t going to bring the Gible, didn’t she? Or was that my anxiety speaking? Affording her a power she never had?

The rocks collided with Reno, who dipped under half of his current health total. 

“Curse, we’ll finish it next time.” Of course, Gardenia didn’t know she already could’ve. 

The Pokemon growled at Reno, but we were still much faster. 

“Confuse Ray!” Cynthia’s eyebrow cocked and the Grotle dizzily shifted onto its back foot. I saw an opening like I hadn’t before.

“Leech Life!” 

“Dodge that!” 

Reno advanced quickly, its long wings flapping haphazardly across the clearing as its tongue flew wildly and began to salivate even more. The Grotle went to dodge right, even though that was the direction Reno was approaching in and the bat’s teeth sunk deep into the neck of its opponent. 

“Rock Tomb! Grotle quick!” 

“Fly away!” 

Grotle once more headbutted the ground with a loud thud, but this time Reno flew backwards and the rocks were sent flying towards me, I stood my ground. 

The whizzed past my head and I looked back to see their trajectory, they smacked into the ground losing their speed after about ten feet. 

“That should do it then,” Cynthia noted. She watched my eyes carefully waiting for something more. 

“Wing Attack!” I shouted. 

“Withdraw!” Gardenia and her Pokemon were on the back foot, where I needed them. 

“Don’t hurt yourself, fly up to the top of the trees and wait for it to come out!” I shouted, tapping into my anxiety to make my lie sound more convincing. My eyes betrayed me, though. I analyzed Gardenia’s every breath. The bars and status indicators told me my fill of the Pokemon, but I had to fool her.

“Perfect! Rock Tomb!” She shouted; Cynthia dropped her head in defeat. 

“Return your Pokemon Gardenia.” She muttered, glancing up at me with a seething anger. 

“Why, I’m about to win!”

“Do it.” I responded. “The rocks won’t reach my Golbat.” I noted. 

Gardenia glanced up, her eyes shooting wide as she fumbled for her Poke-Ball, just barely making it in time before the rocks collided into the Earth knocking her onto her back.

“You win Suzy.” Cynthia shrugged walking up to me as Reno returned to my side.

“It’s Adel.” I spat, but Cynthia began to stride past me ignoring my words. “How’d you know I wouldn’t bring the Gible?” I said, catching her by the forearm. 

Cynthia first looked down at my hand, as if she couldn’t believe I had the gall to lay a finger on the champion of Sinnoh. Then her gaze rose to meet my own, unfettered by my actions or words. 

“Because after your bridge jump yesterday I quickly realized that you are trying to prove something to yourself. You’re impatient, you haven’t learned from your mistakes, and you probably won’t before you get another Pokemon killed. Gible was your best bet in this fight, but you didn’t want a best bet you wanted to prove something to yourself.”

“Against a grass-type Pokemon, a Poison-Flying Type is much better than a Dragon-Type Pokemon.

She grabbed my own wrist, pulling me closer to her. 

“It only had forty health.” 

I stumbled backwards, but she held onto my wrist for a moment longer than what was necessary for me to catch my balance. I fell onto my ass, hard and stared up at her.

“I’ll see you at the top, Suzy.”


	14. You Old Fossil

Chapter 14 – You Old Fossil

I felt my eyes glaze over staring at the curry quietly broiling in the pot. The flame beneath it was simmering. The curry was turning a brownish-red colour matching the berries I’d found earlier. I was nestled against a massive Pine Tree, having carefully cleared the ground of any stray pine needles before starting the fire. My new coat was proving to be quite effective at keeping me warm, I barely noticed how cold it was, save for my nose which had turned cherry red. As peaceful as it was, all I could think about was what Cynthia had said. She could see the health bars as well.

What did that mean?

Aerith was laid down beside me curled around the egg we had picked up before leaving Eterna. If the games had trained me properly it would soon hatch into a Togepi. The thought of training a Pokemon from birth scared me a little. They would be so fragile for so long. 

Reno and Tifa, the Gible, had taken to fighting one another. They were constantly playing with each other. Reno taunting the smaller dragon Pokemon until eventually he’d fly too low and get tackled to the ground. Vincent, had become a massive suck up. He was resting on my lap quietly mewing as I stroke his large ear. Even with his evolution into a Luxio he’d barely grown an inch. I kind of preferred him small and nimble anyway.

I carefully raised the pot lid just an inch to get a smell of the curry. The lid was coated slick with condensation. The spiciness of the curry flared through my nostrils as Vincent began to rouse due to the smell. 

Aerith’s head raised as well as I absentmindedly moved a hand to her flaming mane to welcome her back to the land of the conscious. 

Carefully, I poured varying amounts of curry into five very differently sized bowls. Vincent and Tifa had the smallest, but they were also tiny compared to the other two. Aerith’s was a little bit larger than my own and Reno’s was the rest of the pot.

He had a big mouth, and granted it was essentially his entire body, but still. 

“Make sure you guys eat up. We’re headed into Mount Coronet soon and there won’t be a ton of rest once we’re in there,” I said gently stroking Tifa’s back. The small Gible yawned - tuckered out after her big meal.   
I had spent the past week or so away from Eterna. I needed time before I could commit to continuing the league. After all, Eterna had changed me. I gave up the rouse of being Suzy. I’d even renounced my own name. I was a different person.

It’s been scary finding out who I really am. But now that I’d started how could I possibly stop? 

A sharp trill ended that line of thinking. The origin was the Pokedex in my pocket. 

Emily is calling you. The Pokedex rang out to me. 

“Wait these things can call? I was using a phone booth for no reason before?” I groaned, flipping it open and trying to ignore the quickening of my heartrate. 

“Hello?” I called out, glaring at Aerith to stop looking at me that way. She judged me in a way only a Ponyta could.

“Hey! This is Adel, right?” Emily asked.

“Hey! Yeah, this is her. Emily?”

“Yep!” 

A silence followed.

“Uh, I’m sorry, what are you up to right now?” She asked. 

I coiled a few strands of hair around my index finger as I avoided looking my Pokemon in the eyes. “I’m actually just wrapping up a picnic with the team. You?” 

“Oh my gosh, I’m jealous!” Emily laughed, it was a contagious sort of giggle. “I’m actually just calling because after you picked up your Pokemon I left Eterna.” Her voice shifted to a more apologetic one. “I know we had a date planned, but if you’re ever in Hearthome maybe you could come visit?”

“That’s where I’m headed now!” I blurted out. “I mean, we’ve been training for a week or so, but that’s where I’m going next.” 

“Oh! Well how fast do you think you could get here?” 

“Probably a day,” I said. Shoving my foot directly into my mouth. Vincent started to attempt to clamber up my chest. I pinched the Pokedex like it was a cellphone between my shoulder and temple as I picked up the small cat Pokemon with both hands. 

“Luxio, the Flash Pokémon. When it senses danger-“ The Pokedex began to drone.

“Oh wow! You can make it then!” 

“Make what?” I raised my voice, quickly moving Vincent aside so that he wouldn’t get accidentally scanned again. 

“I’m going to be in a contest soon,” Emily’s voice shimmered like starlight when she got excited. “If you want to come, I mean!”

“Of course I’d love to come!” My own voice was much odder. It didn’t quite shimmer, rather, it was gravely and inconsistent. 

“Wow, that’s- thank you so much Adel! I can’t wait to see you!” 

“Yeah of course! I’ll see you soon!” 

We both hung up after repeating goodbyes for a downright silly amount of time. I felt an itch on my cheek and quickly brushed it away, but I felt a wetness. 

When I inhaled through my nose I noticed it was runny. 

Why?

Aerith kneaded my shoulder with her head and I stood up to greet her. “You’re right girl, let’s head out.” 

The hike to Mount Coronet was a fairly long, and not very easy hike. Vincent rested gently in the hood of my coat while Reno flew beside me. The other two stayed in their balls while I held onto the egg, cradling it into my chest.

The pathway, if you could even call it that, was hardly reminiscent of routes I had taken at the beginning of this journey. It was filled with overturned stones that themselves seemed like practice for Fighting-Type Pokemon. 

When Mt. Coronet got closer, a fog seemed to set in that seemed to be completely static around the base of the mountain. The mountain itself was an imposing obelisk made of slate grey stone with dashes of colour closer to the top you could only barely make out through the fog. It’s snow-crested peak towered, insurmountably high off into the distance. I’d never been this close to a mountain before.

The opening beckoned to me, agape waiting to swallow me whole, but it didn’t scare me. I welcomed it.

Aerith’s ball was thrown into the inky darkness. She ignited like a signal flare, lighting up the frozen stalactites slowly trickling into puddles that now shimmered in amber light. The Ponyta confidently trotted beside me fitting her back underneath my hand as I began to lead the way deeper into the mountain. 

If I was going to make it to Hearthome on time, I needed to get through this mountain by the end of the day.

The concept was daunting enough, but the entire thing – though seemingly excavated, was labyrinthine in nature. I decided to let Reno as well out of his ball, he was used to seeing in the dark, it’d probably be a nice change of pace.

The poor Golbat was too large now to sit anywhere on me, though. So he settled for flying carefully between stalactites, bobbing and weaving carefully between them as Aerith lit the way. It didn’t take long for another challenge to present itself in the cave.

A steep incline of sheer ice was the only way forward. The climb would be sharp and on unsteady ground. 

I gently reached out towards Aerith, giving the nape of her neck a gentle squeeze. A signal we’d practiced to let her know to keep watch and stay in place. She whinnied, but seemed convinced enough. I gently traced my hand along the ice, brushing away some of the melted slush that covered the surface. It gave way to reveal some kind of finned Pokemon. I brushed more of the slush away but it only revealed the fin to be larger, and larger still. 

Until, finally, I found teeth. The massive jagged spearheads must’ve been the side of my entire hand, each one shaved to a point of unimaginable sharpness, perfectly encased in ice. The jaw was outstretched and prepared to bite as the Pokemon was encased in this ice. My curiosity superseded any thoughts of self-preservation or possible negative outcome and I continued to brush away the slush. 

It looked like a Sharpedo… Only massive? It was so much bigger than I had imagined they’d be. It’s jaw itself was taller than I was and here it lay in rest, perfectly frozen in time. Perhaps it was ancient, or somehow enlarged by some other means? “What happened to you?” My voice echoed off the walls filling the chamber with the question. “You old fossil.”

I couldn’t be sure. But the distraction proved fruitless in discovering how in the hell I was going to climb over this hill.

I put my knapsack onto the ground, digging through it to try and find some kind of tool I could use. Of course, I hadn’t planned on mountaineering today.

But I did find the chord I’d been using for tying down my tent. 

“Okay Reno, go fly this up to that stalactite, see if you can’t tie it off!” The Golbat quickly weaved his way around two stalactites, looping it around each of them enough times that as I pulled as hard as I could on the chord, it didn’t seem to budge. 

“Alright, Aerith I’m going to keep you there until I climb up, okay?” The Ponyta’s flames seemed to burn a little brighter as she snorted. I nodded at her.

God this is stupid.

I tugged once more on the chord. Two more times. One last time for good measure.

Fuck.

Okay, I’m doing this.

I leaned backwards until the rope was taught and started my ascent. One step at a time I climbed, hand over hand. The footing was terrible, slick, filled with slush and icy water. I could feel my forehead begin to dampen in sweat. The hill looked to be about thirty feet up. 

Ten feet, so far so good.

Aerith whinnied from below, and I strained to look backwards at her. She was looking at the frozen Sharpedo, seemingly spooked by it. 

“You’re okay girl. He can’t get you from there.” I tried to make my voice as soothing as possible, but it came out more like a hiss. I looked at her, but she was looking past me into its face. I turned back.   
Halfway there.

If I can just get to the top I can get her back in her ball. I looked at my feet once more to ensure I wasn’t missing anything. First was the right foot. I strained to raise it and stopped dead in my tracks. As it rose and uncovered the frozen Sharpedo’s eye, it twitched.

Fuck. Fuck this. What the fuck. 

I raised my left foot faster now. The eye tracked the movement. 

Shit. Shit.

Okay, keep moving. 

I pulled myself, my arms strained under the tension but I pulled and walked up as fast as I could. But I was nearly fully horizontal, just keeping myself up was hard enough. “Reno,” I gritted my teeth. “Help pull me up.” 

The Golbat landed on my stomach, digging into the coat and flapping as hard as he could. It only helped a small amount and I was still barely moving. The Sharpedo’s gaze still followed me. 

“… One more time!” I heard a voice echoing off the walls from above me. It could be a member of Galactic, I shouldn’t call out.  
Why start thinking these things through now?

“Hey! Are you up there? Please help me!” 

Aerith’s flames began to burn brighter, as if she was waiting for a fight. The ice around my feet began to melt from the proximity to the flames. 

Reno pulled and I could hear the echo of approaching footsteps, they were fast and heavy. “Hey please!!” I called out to them. It didn’t even matter if it was-

Cyrus.

He peered down to me, looking at me with a sense of curiosity. Like a cat staring at a mouse under its paw. 

“It’s been a while Suzy.” His voice was dripping with malice, his eyes peering down, not lowering his head to fully look at me. “Bit of a bind then?” 

“Just,” I gritted my teeth. “Pull me up.”

“My, my. What a request.” He glanced up at the chord. I followed his eyes, I could see it was struggling to maintain tension between the two stalactites. 

“Very well.” He lowered himself to the ground, reaching down to my hand. 

Fuck, I can’t believe I’m about to do this. 

As soon as my fingers could wrap themselves around his wrist, I felt my foot sink into the ice I was bracing myself against. Everything that followed happened within a second. Cyrus was pulled down with me as the Rope gave way and the ice hill I was climbing began to shatter, bursting outwards with freezing cold water. I began to drop, Reno flew to protect himself but at this point it was too late for both Cyrus and myself. Water flooded my clothes as I tumbled head over heels for what felt like ten seconds. The breath was knocked clear out of me when I collided with what I could only process as something hard.

I gasped for air, I could hear splashing, Aerith whinnying, Reno screeching, Cyrus coughing. My head rung like a bell, waves of pain pulsed through me until I felt like I was going to vomit. I shot up and immediately felt a sharp pain in my side, but I ignored it. I could see Aerith’s head bobbing just above the freezing water, my hand and her Poke-Ball shot out as the red laser made contact with her and the jaws of that giant Sharpedo snapped at thin air. 

“Shit!” I re-examined my surroundings and quickly learned of how truly fucked I had become. I was not on stone, no, I was on a sheet of ice that cracked and loudly groaned beneath my weight. We weren’t stationary, we were in a river of sorts, and the Sharpedo was eyeing me specifically. “Cyrus get the fuck up.” I spat, turning my gaze to the ceiling.

“What the-“ Cyrus started but he must’ve seen the Pokemon as well. He shot up and put a hand on his belt within an instant. 

“Reno, follow my voice!” I shouted and I heard the distant screech of the Golbat, quickly gaining behind us. I glanced over at Cyrus and saw a piece of jagged ice, firmly embedded in his side.   
Holy shit. He could die here. None of the things that he’ll eventually do would happen. 

But-

The Sharpedo advanced on us once more, taking three feet of ice off the dwindling structure we were balancing on. The river knocked us around until I couldn’t tell which way we’d come from. The lighting was next to absent but I had to do something. 

“You got a plan?” Cyrus still managed to sound smug surrounded by freezing water and bleeding out.

“Yeah,” I grimaced gripping the Premier Ball in his hand. “You have anything that can get my Luxio onto the Sharpedo?”

“Yeah.” Cyrus nodded. We both threw our Poke-Balls out, Vincent and a Kadabra appeared on the little bit of ice left. 

“Vincent when you touch that Sharpedo, use Spark!” I commanded, and the cat-Pokemon nodded at me baring his teeth and letting his tail shine with a brilliant pale goldenrod that reflected off the racing water beneath us. I shuddered at the sight of the Kadabra, but pushed my personal experiences to the back of my mind.

“Teleport the Luxio onto that Sharpedo when she tells you.” Cyrus words were slurred and I noticed he was bracing himself on one knee. He was losing blood quickly. I could let that happen.  
But-

“Now!” I shouted. The Kadabra shunted through space, disappearing as the space between him and Vincent seemed to almost close in on itself. I watched the water carefully, afraid that Vincent would get swept away in the tide as Reno finally managed to rejoin us. I wanted to check on Aerith, but there was no time. 

I saw a spark of light and immediately Vincent and the Kadabra reappeared at our sides. The Sharpedo’s health bar turned a murky yellow beneath the water. It wasn’t enough.

“Shit.”

“That didn’t do it.” Cyrus grunted. The Kadabra’s health bar was in the red, it couldn’t take another charge of Vincent’s electricity. That wasn’t an option anymore.

“I’ve got an idea.” 

“Make it quick.” 

I returned Vincent to his Poke-Ball and whipped Tifa onto the ice. “Reno grab Tifa and fly above us!” The Golbat screeched and pulled the small Gible high above us as the Sharpedo turned around for another bite. It’s jaw outstretched, it charged the ice once more, I took a step towards it.

“What are you doing?!” Cyrus shouted. 

I leapt backwards as the Sharpedo lurched out at me, taking nearly two thirds of the remaining platform out from under us. Cyrus pushed himself back, but his feet were touching the Sharpedo’s snout. It opened its mouth once more to snap him up.

“Dragon Rage, Tifa!” My scream was accented by a beam of fuchsia that rocketed out from the ceiling, striking the Sharpedo directly in its gaping maw. The health bar ticked down entirely. The Supermassive   
Pokemon tried to shut its jaw, but it lacked the strength. It continued to be pushed back by the sheet of ice until it eventually ended up beneath it, rolling underneath it and floating much slower behind our makeshift raft. 

I braced the ice, trying to catch my breath. We weren’t out of this yet. “Cyrus, can your Kadabra get us off this thing?” 

“No need,” he said. “This river exits out into Route 207.” He remained on his knees, but I could see his breathing was becoming more and more laboured. I shut my eyes as tight as I could and thought.   
I wanted to ask what Suzy would do in this situation. 

But I already knew. 

“Okay,” I turned to Tifa and Reno, both Pokemon were shimmering. Tifa fell down to the ice, now triple the size she’d been just a minute ago, while Reno deftly hovered beside her with his new set of wings. “Two in one, huh?” I chuckled, returning both Pokemon to their balls as they nuzzled against one another.

“I’m going to help you.” I said, turning to Cyrus and descending onto my knees. “But afterwards, you and your Kadabra get off this sheet of ice, and leave me alone.” 

“You continue to surprise,” Cyrus chuckled. “Yes, that seems acceptable.” 

I nodded and retrieved Aerith’s Poke-Ball, releasing the Ponyta onto the ice. Her footing was uneasy, ands team poured off of her figure as she heated herself up. 

“The first thing I’m going to do is take the ice out of your side.” I explained, lifting his bloodied shirt off of the wound. I felt a lump form at the base of my throat, but I forced it down, clenching my jaw.  
In through your nose. Out through your mouth. You’re okay. Focus.

“You ready?” I asked.

“Yea-AGH!” Cyrus screamed out as I ripped the chunk of ice straight out of his side before throwing it into the stream.

“Aerith, use Ember right here.” I pointed at his wound, which was pulsing blood that trickled down his side into his pant-leg. The Ponyta shot a stream of sparks from her mane that quickly cauterized the gash that had been left on his stomach. Cyrus teeth clenched hard enough I thought they’d shatter, he exhaled so hard that he spat through his closed mouth, his pupils shrunk as he clutched the ice with his nails. 

“It’s done,” I said. “Now please, leave.” My fingers were shaking with rage. I didn’t need to save him. I wasn’t Suzy anymore. But I did.

“You’re right.” Cyrus nodded, beads of sweat crystalizing against his forehead. “Thank you.” 

With those words Cyrus and his Kadabra vanished to the shoreline twenty feet away. I kept my eyes on him until he vanished into the darkness. I fell to my knees near the edge of the block of ice and let my body express its anxiety through throwing up. Aerith nuzzled against my side until I was finished, making small noises to show her affection. 

“Thanks girl. Sorry about letting you fall back there.” My hand found her cheek and stroked it. “You always have my back.” 

Not long after, an impossibly bright opening presented itself to us, the exit, no doubt. 

We sat there together, waiting for the cold to make its presence known once more. It was colder outside on Route 207, but the snow had stopped falling. It would’ve been perfectly serene, but we were close to Hearthome now. Night had fallen, and the city beckoned to those close to it. I could hear the music all the way out here at the base of Mt. Coronet. 

“Well girl, I think we’ve earned a break.” I said falling back onto the ice. If it weren’t so cold, I’d have passed out then and there. 

But I couldn’t. 

I have a date.


	15. Just a Normal Day

Hearthome was a town constructed of beautiful Victorian mansions surrounded by paved, vacuous cobblestone roads and green streetlights. The air was warmer here, and smelled like freshly baked bread it was carried on a breeze not quite enough to be uncomfortable but strong enough to make you feel like you were in a photoshoot.

 

The contests had begun, evident enough in the confetti now streaming into gutters pouring from some implacable space above me, and music so omnipresent it felt as though it was coming from the skeleton of the town itself.

 

But most impressive of all was the contest hall. La Maison du Excellence stood above all else, casting the shadow of competitiveness across the entire town and exuding a sense of dedication. The building seemed to be meticulously crafted and carved by hand as portraits of past winners adorned the marbled halls of competition that defined Hearthome as what it was: Sinnoh’s mecca of competition.

 

I took a deep breath and let out a sigh that felt like it was being held since I left Oreburgh.

 

“Just a normal day,” I prayed. “Just give me one.”

 

Those cobblestone streets were crowded with people. All dancing, and smiles. They wore beautiful dresses and sharp suits in all manner of colours. There, waiting for me, was Emily. I performed as fast and discreet an inspection of myself as I could as she approached. I’d cleaned up for the most part, though I still looked like I just got off the road.

 

Sheets of emerald silk clung to her hips as she strode forward in a dress with a thigh high slit and a neckline that dared.

 

“You made it!” Emily ran faster than her heels allowed for. She stumbled forward, her knees folding in to one another. I lurched forward to catch her, but the force took both of us careening into the sidewalk. “Oh, shit I’m sorry!”

 

I quickly hopped back up to my feet to help Emily regain her composure. “Sorry, I should’ve caught you there!”

 

“Are you kidding? You swept me off my feet,” she laughed. “Are you okay? Your voice sounds so coarse!”

 

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine” My bruised elbow meant little to me right now. “Just been firing on all cylinders recently. Look at you, though!”

 

“Oh, well,” Emily sashayed around in a circle briefly before bursting into another fit of laughter. “It’s expected, honestly. I don’t usually dress like this!”

 

“Too bad.” Her cheeks flushed.

 

“Right, well, we actually have to get moving.” Emily glanced outwards into the sea of confetti and music somewhat anxiously, wringing her hands.

 

“Oh, okay sure. Lead the way.”

 

“Yeah, the first round is starting in forty minutes,” she said. “Everyone performs once, then they pick two to perform again for a final performance.”

 

“Have you ever done this before?” I asked.

 

“No, not yet!” Her giddiness fused with the creeping anxiety at the back of her throat. I flinched when I noticed my question may’ve fueled her anxiety. “I’ve been practicing for years, though.”

 

“I can’t wait to see you perform!”

 

We bobbed and weaved through the crowded Hearthome streets, all the while entering the shadow of la Maison. The closer we came to the massive building the more the crowd seemed to shift in tone. Further towards the entrance to the city it was a party, but as we climbed the steps towards the marbled pillars of the contest hall the anxiety was pervasive. People were going over last minute adjustments to routines. Many of the contestants were being coached.

 

It felt similar to the atmosphere of a gym battle. Or American Idol.

 

The inside of the contest hall was just as spectacular as I’d anticipated. Blood red carpets met golden antiquated walls and ceilings. Between each pillar was a massive stained glass depiction of different Pokemon with strong hues of red and gold emphasized.

 

“Okay I have to go backstage and get ready, do you need money for a ticket?” Emily asked.

 

“Oh, no! I have it covered!” I urged. “Break a leg!”

 

“What?!” Emily shouted back as we both walked in separate directions.

 

Oh shit.

 

“I said good luck!”

 

“Oh thanks!” She shouted before disappearing behind a scarlet coloured door.

 

Break your leg. In Sinnoh. Christ.

 

It didn’t take too long to get a ticket. It looked like an arena back home. The seating arrangements were massive, and I was up in the second row of the nosebleeds.

 

I’d never been to a concert on Earth. I guess this was kind of like that. The room was as black as tar, with a few verdant lights I knew as belonging to Pokedexes shimmering up briefly before flickering out.

 

There didn’t seem to be any kind of program, or anything akin to one. So I settled for releasing Vincent onto my lap and petting him while I waited.

 

“That’s the biggest plus to this world.” I whispered as he pawed at my stomach. “I can bring you in here and nobody cares.”

 

A spotlight lit up the center of the stage and revealed a man in a beautiful maroon tuxedo.

 

“Before we begin, I just wanted to thank everyone here for coming to La Maison du Excellence tonight.” A steady rumble of applause and whistles sounded out from the audience. “We’re sure to see some spectacular performances tonight during the second day of the Sinnoh Contest Circuit. So please, put your hands together for our first act, Matilda, the Magical!”

 

“Second day of performances, huh?” I whispered to Vincent, who mewed thoughtfully in return.

 

“That one guy from yesterday is a shoo in to win.” A girl in front of me whispered to the boy she was sitting with.

 

“Yeah, but I still don’t know who else they’re going to pick for the finale.”

 

“Which Pokemon did he use again?”

 

“A Kirlia and uh… A Piplup I think.”

 

“Oh, no,” she said. “It was a Prinplup!”

 

“Shh!” Another woman hissed at them as Matilda took her place on the stage.

 

Matilda strode onto the stage wearing what looked to be her interpretation of a jester’s garb. She began to juggle three, then four Poke-Balls. As one descended she struck it with her elbow, sending it careening to the side and releasing a Mr. Mime.

 

The Pokemon began to, through great effort of his own behalf, blow and blow as the Poke-Balls began to fly further in the direction he blew. The crowd gasped as Matilda continuously made seemingly impossible catches without dropping a ball. After a minute or so, she caught each ball with a flourish on the last, and took a bow before exiting stage right.

 

A few more performances came and went, and while they were all impressive, none blew me away. But my interest piqued immediately when a piano was rolled out onto the stage.

 

“Finally, before we move onto to our finals, we have Emily LaStrada from Kalos!” The announcement sent a shot of adrenaline coursing through me as I scanned the stage for any sign of her.

 

Breezily, like she was crossing the street, Emily strode across the stage and sent a chipper wave out to the audience. I felt my lungs swell with air as she was met with cheers and whistles.

 

The room went silent as she took out some sheet music and a single Poke-Ball, placing it on the top of the grand piano. With a delicate pluck, she tapped the release mechanism and the Poke-Ball opened to reveal an Eevee, who yawned and stretched on top of the instrument.

 

“Shit, is that thing shiny?” I couldn’t help but hiss to myself.

 

“No, it’s grey or something.” Someone else responded.

 

Emily’s mouth moved silently and the Eevee straightened up and nodded at her. It reared itself onto its hind legs and took a bow to the audience that elicited a thundering applause. Emily took the opportunity to straighten her hair out and turn to the correct page of the sheet music.

 

Finally, the room fell deeply silent. We waited in that absence of sound, everyone watching Emily. She had her eyes closed, still as could be. Waiting for something.

 

Then I saw her lips count herself in.

 

Her eyes now open looked softly at the page, like an old lover. Her smile was sincere, melancholic, and understanding of the faults of those who’d written the stanzas her fingers now moved through. The pitter patter of raindrops on pine trees were recreated as her fingers swung to the right side of the instrument, skillfully overlapping one another as her left hand descended down the scale.

 

Finally, her voice joined the chorus. She didn’t sing with words, rather it was almost like a Gregorian chant. She vocalized in harmony with the piano, complementary to it as her voice seemed to echo in the massive halls of the arena.

 

The echo bore a delay of almost a full second, rippling through the stands as everyone stared in awe at the performance.

 

But Emily wasn’t finished. She nodded at the small Pokemon awaiting its cue on the piano and it strutted forward to the edge of the instrument. The Eevee opened its mouth, and began to echo the exact noise of Emily’s own. Now it sounded as if there was a duet, the Eevee and Emily working in perfect unison to harmonize with one another, their echoes trailing behind as the piano accented not only what they were currently singing, but also the echo.

 

When the last note, held for a long time finally left Emily’s lips and echoed off the chamber’s walls, the lights went up and the crowd burst to their feet. I leapt to my own, wiping a tear away as I screamed and beat my hands against one another until they stung.

 

Emily and Eevee took a bow before Emily hoisted the Pokemon into her arms and gave her a big hug, leaving the stage.

 

I ran back to the lobby to go find her, being sure to be quick before they started to announce the winners.

 

“Hey!” Emily beamed, this time sure to run at a speed which her heels would comply with. “Was it alright? I know we didn’t really show off that much-“

 

“Are you kidding?! That was the most amazing thing! How did you teach your Eevee to do that?!”

 

“Oh my Arceus!” Emily’s effortless grace and sincere smile made my palms sweat as she reached out to brace herself against my shoulder to take off her heels. “Thank you so much! Okay, well a lot of the time Pokemon in contests are taught how to combine moves into a kind of synthesis of both, so I taught my Eevee to use mimic on myself in conjunction with Echoed Voice to make the effect work!”

 

“Emily,” I marvelled at her. “That’s amazing!”

 

“Thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked it! We should go take a seat before they announce who they’re calling back!”

 

We snuck back into the audience, squeezing through the rows of already seated spectators apologizing the whole way down. We caught the tail end of the current performance, but clapped all the same as if we’d been watching the whole time.

 

After the performer left the stage, the tuxedo-clad man retook the stage.

 

“Well we certainly have been blessed with great talent tonight. But now, I have to break hearts, save for one.” He carried on building suspense. I felt fingers squeeze my right hand tight, I squeezed back and leaned into Emily.

 

“It’s going to be you.”

 

“May I please have…” He trailed off as the sound of drums filled the hall.

 

They have drum rolls, but not break a leg?

 

That’s dumb.

 

“Emily!!” He shouted and Emily turned to face me, jaw in danger of hitting the floor. She screamed and wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me so tight she forced the wind from my lungs.

 

“You did it!” Was all I managed to force out as she screamed in my ear.

 

“Come backstage with me! I need to prepare!”

 

“Can we do that?” I asked.

 

“I don’t know.” Emily yanked me out of my seat. “Just come on!” We ran once more through the decadent lobby and into the backstage area. It was a hectic display of costumes that had been discarded, half-empty bottles of water and pages and pages of notes.

 

Emily was wrestled from my side and flung up in a chair as a man with chopsticks in his bun and a shirt so stained it looked like a painter’s smock began to touch up her makeup.

 

“Pray for me.” He ordered, his tone strict. “As I attempt to improve perfection itself!”

 

“Just a touch up!” Emily suggested, perhaps testing her luck with the man. He addressed her with only a curt nod before starting his work.

 

I could hear the muffled applause from the hall, but I didn’t hear who else had been selected to move on. Probably the juggling girl, I thought. Or that Prinplup guy those other two were talking about.

 

The door screeched open and I turned to congratulate the other selected winner.

 

“Suzy,” Jude’s shocked face greeted me. “What the hell are you doing here?”

 

“Adel? Who’s that?” Emily asked trying to look at him but struggling to turn her head against the makeup artist’s vice grip on her chin.

 

I just wanted one day.

 

One. Normal.

 

“I’m here for a friend, that’s all.” I urged him. “Please don’t turn this into a thing.”

 

Jude looked me up and down for a moment. Like a judge to a convicted killer. He weighed his options before pushing some dirty blonde hair out of his eyes. He took a deep breath and nodded.

 

“Nice to see you again, Adel.” He sounded tired.

 

“Yeah, you too. I didn’t know you’d be entering this kind of thing.” I said, as the makeup artist started pointing at an empty chair he wanted Jude to take. “Emily this is Jude, he’s from Twinleaf Town, and we started the league together.”

 

“It’s so good to meet you, Emily.” Jude offered her a warm smile in the long mirror that spanned most of the wall they were both facing.

 

“You too, best of luck out there!” Emily chirped.

 

“Yeah,” Jude turned back to me. “This is kind of my thing now.” He said taking a seat in the chair. “I gave up on the league.”

 

“What?”

 

“I lost one too, at Eterna’s gym.” Jude explained, he cracked his neck and started to rub his shoulder. “I don’t really want to do it anymore, honestly.” The competitive spirit that I’d seen in him in Oreburgh had all but faded. “I traded away my Monferno, too. It’s a bit of a compromise, I’ll admit. But no one is going to die doing this.”

 

Before I could ask to who or for what, the door swung open, again revealing yet another piece of my dirty laundry.

 

Dawn.

 

“Jude congratulations on-“

 

“Hey Dawn, you remember Adel, right?” Jude immediately took charge on making sure there wasn’t going to be a scene. “She’s here with her friend, Emily.”

 

I felt my pulse quicken as Dawn’s eyes moistened. She pre-emptively wiped them and turned away from the mirror, taking as long as she could to put her coat on the rack beside the door. “Yeah, good to see you again, Adel.” Her voice was leaden, burdened by our history. “Good to meet you too Emily, congratulations.”

 

“Thank you! It’s so good to meet you guys too, what a small world.” Emily said. She was too focused on some notes she had in front of her to be really paying attention to the moods of either Jude or Dawn, thank god.

 

“I was just telling Adel that I’ve given up on the league.”

 

At least Dawn would say something to him.

 

She put a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah?”

 

Jude’s eyes turned down and his frown deepened. “Yeah.” He turned to face me.

 

“Alright,” she nodded. “Adel.” Dawn turned, too. “I’m taking his place in the league.”

 

“What?” I asked.

 

"Yeah, I’m off to a good start.” She confirmed, pulling her scarf down to reveal two gym badges that I recognized. One was a fresh Forest Badge, the other was my Coal Badge I’d left on her scarf.

 

I wanted to protest, to say that I’d earned it. But did I? Could I make that claim? After what I’d done to them.

 

I nodded at Dawn, avoiding her piercing glare. “Good, I’m glad to hear that.”

 

"Okay, you’re done.” The makeup artist spun Emily around and she left the chair, approaching me once more. “You can enter the stage whenever you’re ready.”

 

Emily pulled me into a big hug, I stared at Dawn apologetically. “You’re going to do great.” I said to the three of them.

 

“Thanks,” Emily whispered. She nodded at me and walked through the double doors.

 

“Suzy.” Dawn’s voice became harsher now. “I’ll speak with you after the finals.”

 

I nodded at Dawn. I could feel a lump starting to form on my throat. I approached the makeup artist, looking for a way out of this room with her. “Is there somewhere I can go to watch the performance?”

 

“Yes, of course.” He nodded. “Follow me.”

 

He led me to a small viewing area that was hidden from the audience. Seated there were a few people I didn’t recognize, as well as the announcer in the tuxedo. While before I had been fairly certain he was a man with his baritone register, now I wasn’t so sure. They’d let their hair down and up close here they looked slightly more effeminate.

 

“Please, take a seat.” They gestured to me as they shimmied down the love seat to make room.

 

“Ah, sorry!” I whispered as I squeezed in beside them.

 

“Please. This old relic is just happy to have the company.” They chuckled, lifting a crystalline glass of wine to their lips. “So you’re Emily’s plus one then?”

“Yeah, I came to see her perform.” I nodded.

 

“Are you girlfriends? Sisters?”

 

“Oh, no, god, yeah, haha not- It’s not like. We aren’t, we haven’t even actually really talked about. There’s really nothing to talk about yet! We’re actually just friends, mostly. She’s nice.”

 

“That bad, huh?”

 

“Haha, yup!” I was making a habit of sticking my foot in my mouth.

 

“Oh, she’s starting. My name’s Fantina by the way.” They said.

 

Fantina.

 

The gym leader?

 

I just wanted one normal fucking day!

 

Emily once more strode out to the piano, this time holding a Poke-Ball in both hands. She threw both out and curtseyed to the audience bowing her head down as her Eevee and a Misdreavus appeared in front of her.

 

“Oh my, a ghost Pokemon, hm? What could she have up her sleeve?” They whispered, clutching the arm rest.

 

Emily once more took her place at the piano. As opposed to her last performance, she immediately burst into song, singing, but not yet playing the piano. She sung of missed chances, and opportunities that had passed by as her two Pokemon began to perform a routine they’d clearly practiced.

 

The song was about a missed connection. Of two soulmates who’d passed one another by, she sung with a powerful, low voice compared to her usual chirping and inflection heavy speech. The song carried on as the two Pokemon performed an almost interpretive dance, dashing around one another, the Misdreavus fading away whenever the Eevee got close.

 

Soon the Eevee got close to the Misdreavus, seemingly closing the connection. The piano was struck as she utilized the lyrics to give orders to her Pokemon. Snuck in like some kind of coded message were moves her Pokemon knew, like Take Down and Astonish.

 

But neither Pokemon could make contact with each other. Misdreavus and Eevee passed through one another, just as the lyrics dictated they would. As the piano and the song’s intensity increased so too did the Pokemon’s movements. They more desperately tried to reach one another, but due to their typing’s they just couldn’t make contact.

 

Emily slowed the song down, and once more and the Misdreavus vanished again. The Eevee turned towards Emily. The Pokemon and its trainer made eye contact with one another as Emily’s voice held one note. She nodded, ever so slightly, at the Eevee. I barely caught the exchange, but when she the signal was met, the Eevee closed its eyes and began to sniff.

 

Odour Sleuth.

 

I made the realization, seemingly in time with Fantina next to me.

 

“Clever girl.” They said, as the chorus and the piano kicked into overdrive and finally the Eevee caught the Misdreavus with a tackle that sent the two careening overtop of one another. The song made it to its conclusion and the light went out as the hall filled with thunderous applause.

 

Almost as soon as Emily had finished bowing Jude took to the stage.

 

“Wait where did he get a Prinplup?” I asked aloud, as if this stranger next to me would know.

 

“It isn’t his?” Fantina questioned, their interest piqued.

 

“Last time I saw him he didn’t have it.” I answered.

 

“Marvelous.” They replied. “What a talented trainer.”

 

Jude’s performance started immediately. He threw two Poke-Balls out, revealing a Kirlia and the Prinplup I’d heard of.

 

“Bubble Beam!” Jude’s somber tone vanished, and all of the sudden he was a performer. His Prinplup pointed its head to the sky and slowly spun as bubbles burst from its beak. The Kirlia spun with the Prinplup in a circle, joining it as if they were waltzing.

 

Jude stepped up to the piano that had been left on stage after Emily’s performance.

 

“Does he know how to play that thing?” I whispered.

 

“Does he ever.”

 

“Telekinesis.” Jude whispered into his microphone.

 

His fingers flew across the keys of the piano, playing at a speed that was unbelievable all the while still accurate, even beautiful. He played across the entire instrument, starting towards the middle and allowing his hands to reach different parts of the piano, going high and low.

 

The strain of his lightning fast playing was showing on his face, but he didn’t slow down even a tenth as the bubbles were all outlined in a light pink glow. They began to expand, and move towards the audience and our seating arrangement. They formed a wall that functioned almost as a camera. Some of the bubbles reflected images of Jude playing the piano, eyes closed, intent clearly displayed across his body.

 

Some of them focused on the incredibly complex dance his Pokemon were now performing, others created fractals of images, close up on their feet, their hands, the sweat forming on his brow. The Kirlia manipulated each bubble minutely, singularly. It was….

 

“Unbelievable.”

 

“Isn’t it?”

 

Jude’s emotion was clearly displayed. I knew what he was feeling, the sadness of losing a Pokemon was written plainly on his face, in his Pokemon’s dance. It was a song of mourning, of tumultuous blame-bearing and anxiety.

 

And all at once, it ended.

 

His Pokemon stopped, as did he, and the bubbles all burst in unison.

 

Once more, the crowd shot to their feet. For the first time in the entire performance, I realized that Dawn had sat three seats down from me.

 

I rose to my feet and clapped as well.

 

“What a spectacular show.” Fantina took my hand.

 

I glanced at them in confusion. “I think Emily would love it if you joined her on stage.” They said.

 

“Oh, yeah, okay – but I’m not really dressed-“

 

“Don’t worry.” They responded. “They won’t be looking at you.” They glanced over at Dawn, who took their other hand and together the three of us walked out onto the stage.

 

Emily joined us, motioning to Jude before clapping some more. The audience joined her and once more he and his Pokemon bowed. The two of them hugged before Jude gave Emily that same courtesy.

 

“Alright folks, allow me now to announce the winner.”

 

Just like that?!

 

My mind raced, and Emily's hand found my own. These contests were almost as stressful as gym battles.

 

“Jude!” They lifted Jude’s hand, and his eyes filled over with tears. He wrapped Dawn into a hug, she gleefully squeezed him, holding him tight. I turned to Emily, who didn’t look the least bit shocked, nor disappointed.

 

“Let’s hear it for Jude and Emily!” Fantina shouted into their microphone, and the audience let them have the attention they’d earned once more. Screaming, shouting, applauding it was all so much noise.

 

But no sound pierced my sense of safety more than Dawn’s voice in the microphone.

 

“I’m not ready for this to be over yet! Are you?” She shouted. The audience, though seemingly confused was not about to turn down a supposed encore.

 

“What’s going on?” I whispered to Jude.

 

“I don’t know.” His expression was grim.

 

“I’d like to challenge you, Emily, to a battle.” Dawn turned, but she didn’t look at Emily. She looked right at me.

 

“Well, well. That certainly is a turn of events.” Fantina mused into their microphone. “What say you, Emily?”

 

For fuck’s sake.

 

Just give me one day. One. Without shoving all of my fucking mistakes in my face.

 

I squeezed Emily’s hand once more, before walking forward towards the announcer, plucking the microphone from their hand.

 

“I’ll fight for her,” I said. The audience roared to attention, and before ten seconds could pass the announcer pulled Jude and Emily off the stage.

 

Guess that was show business. The crowd was on their feet now, and the anxiety of what I had agreed to was finally setting in. I’m going to have a thousand people watch me fight. How did this happen?

 

Why did I agree to this?

 

I glanced back towards the exit, and I saw Emily. She nodded at me, and mouthed ‘you can do this’.

 

Shit.

 

I gripped a Poke-Ball on my hip threw it out towards Dawn, she did the same in unison.

 

“Vincent!”

 

“Rude!”

 

Rude?

 

I gave her my Onix back in Eterna.

 

God damn it.

 

“Rude, use Coil!” Dawn already had me in on the back foot. Vincent snarled at the Pokemon, causing the Onix to lose some of its attack power.

 

“Leer!” I commanded. Vincent lowered himself and allowed the Onix to wrap him up, its head peering down at the Luxio. The sound of boulders scraping against one another made my ears ache, but I didn’t let myself lose focus.

 

“Squeeze him!” Dawn shouted.

 

“Bite!” I retorted. Inky blackness rippled off of the small Luxio’s fangs as he sunk his teeth into the weakened Onix. It reeled back from the pain, as the fangs passed into the stone like a hot knife through butter.

 

“Rude, come back!” Dawn, flustered now threw another Poke-Ball towards me as Vincent hit the ground on all four paws, waiting for his next opponent. I kept in mind that we hadn’t defeated the Onix yet. “Celeste!”

 

An elegant blue and white snake-like Pokemon coiled out from the beam of light and quickly slithered towards Vincent. A Dragonair?!

 

“Vincent, use Spark!” The Luxio’s tail flashed a blinding white light as electricity cracked off its body, burning some of the stage and eliciting a big response from the crowd. Vincent jumped towards the Dragonair.

 

“Dodge it and use Dragon Tail!” Dawn shouted. Before I could respond with a counter or return Vincent, Celeste’s body contorted and its tail show downwards like a whip, smashing Vincent into the floor. He struggled to retain his grip on consciousness as his legs wavered beneath him.

 

“Return!” I shouted before Dawn could issue another command.

 

I threw out another Poke-Ball and released Reno from his ball. The Crobat grinned at the Dragonair as Dawn bit her lip.

 

“Wing Attack!” I shouted and the Crobat whipped into the Dragonair and passed it before Dawn could react. Celeste's health bar changing colours was the first time I noticed them at all. I rubbed my eyes, I was given an advantage in all of this, and I was forgetting it? The stress, the battle itself. I’d lost track of crucial information.

 

“Dragon Rage!” Dawn commanded, her voice cracking like it had when she was upset with me.

 

Shut up. Stop thinking about that.

 

Violet light shone in the orbs at the end of the Pokemon’s tail and traveled through its entire boy as a beam of purple lanced outwards and collided with Reno.

 

“Confuse Ray!” Reno caught himself, flipping upside down before zooming back towards Celeste and releasing a ray of sickly energy. The Pokemon struggled to keep track of where Reno was, his four wings flapping in a hypnotic pattern.

 

“Bite!”

 

“Dragon Tail!”

 

Celeste barely missed Reno as he sunk his teeth into the side of the Dragonair.

 

I finally let go of my held breath, tension flooding out of my body. The Pokemon vanished back into its Poke-Ball. Dawn wasn’t going to let this go any further.

 

“Alexandre!” Dawn’s voice was shaking, she was as scared as I was, and she was on the back foot.

 

A Munchlax, confused and scratching his stomach appeared out of the ball.

 

“Reno, confuse it!”

 

“Metronome!”

 

Metronome?!

 

Alexandre opened his mouth as Reno flew in on the approach. A burst of white light shot out of it, screaming past me. It was white hot and deafening, but I shielded my face and looked back at my Pokemon.

 

2/87

 

“Fuck,” I returned Reno. “Aerith!”

 

The Ponyta flew outwards, flames bursting from her mane, quickly approaching the Munchlax.

 

“Metronome!”

 

The Munchlax’s claws turned bright white, elongating into a wicked, hooked blade.

 

I know this move.

 

“Aerith, Ember!” The Ponyta skidded to a halt just as Alexandre slashed outwards, missing my Pokemon. She shot a burst of embers towards the Munchlax. A small burn appeared on its right arm.

 

A status icon confirmed my theory beside his health bar.

 

That’s our chance.

 

“Flame Wheel!”

 

“Metronome!”

 

As long as it’s a physical move, I’m okay.

 

The Munchlax reared its hand back a burst of water shot out from it. The two Pokemon collided and bursts of steam shot out towards both Dawn and I. The audience was going wild and I could barely hear myself think over my pulse.

 

I had to be safe. “Aerith, come back!” I couldn’t lose another.

 

My hand shook uncontrollably as it landed on the great ball remaining on my hip.

 

My last-ditch effort. She’d have to be able to beat Dawn’s last two Pokemon.

 

“Tifa, you’re up!” The great ball cut through the lingering steam and released the Gabite onto the stage. The much larger dragon Pokemon reared its head in anticipation for a challenger.

 

“Suzy!” Dawn’s voice called out. What was she trying to say to me?

 

A Monferno appeared across from Tifa. Jude traded Dawn.

 

She named her Suzy.

 

“Dragon Claw!” This wasn’t the time to get distracted.

 

“Mach Punch!”

 

Tifa’s claws shone an effervescent purple light, and she swung at the Monferno, but the fire ape ducked the claw and struck Tifa across the face with a punch so fast I could feel the impact from here.

 

"Wait for his move, and then counter use Dragon Claw again!”

 

This time Monferno came in with another blazing fast punch, but Tifa took it on the cheek, gritting against the pain. She came down hard and slashed the Monferno with her claws. The crowd reeled in pain for the Monferno.

 

“Flame Wheel!”

 

The Monferno slid to the right, whipping itself into a front somersault and bringing his tail down hard on Tifa’s head. But once more, she bore the attack with her resistance to it.

 

“Grab her and use Dragon Rage!” I commanded.

 

“Get out of there!” Dawn’s command, but it was useless. Tifa wrapped her arms around the Monferno and opened her jaw as a beat of violet light blasted outwards at the Pokemon.

 

A red light pulled the Monferno back to Dawn’s side.

 

The screaming mass of spectators before us howled as Dawn was reduced to her last Pokemon. My chest was rising and falling, and I had become drenched in sweat. The stage lights felt heavy on the back of my neck and I was getting tired.

 

“Rude!”

 

I pushed the tiredness down, at least for another minute. “Dragon Rage!” My voice was nearly shot and I could barely hear it between the crowd and the screeching stone serpent in front of us.

 

The beam lanced outwards once more, but Dawn was ready for it this time.

 

"Take the hit, then coil around it!”

 

“No, watch out!” I screamed, I felt something start to burn in my throat when I did.

 

Rude reeled backwards when it took the blow, but jutted sharply towards Tifa and coiled around her. This time covering her entire body in its mass.

 

“Dragon Rage!” I screamed, but my voice faltered. I couldn’t hear it above the crowd.

 

“Adel, give up!” Dawn threatened. I stared at her, past our Pokemon, the anger on my face evident. I was scorching red and I didn’t want to lose in front all these people.

 

“Dragon Rage!” I tried to shout again, but the crowd grew louder and louder, almost impossibly so.

 

“Don’t make me hurt her, Adel!” Dawn once more held her advantage over me.

 

I tried once more to say something, but my voice was gone, entirely. I lost. She can’t hear me.

 

I raised my hands, the great ball in one and nodded at Dawn.

 

“Dawn is the winner by surrender!” The announcer rejoined us on the stage, holding up Dawn’s hand. The crowd reveled in my defeat, as Emily rejoined me.

 

Dawn and Jude joined one another, bowing to the audience that loved them. Dawn looked back at me, not to goad, but with disappointment. As if she wanted me to win, maybe that would’ve made it easier to hate me.

 

They bowed to the audience as I returned Tifa to her Poke-Ball and I started to realize just how badly my throat hurt.

 

Emily guided me backstage, but the audience made sure that I wouldn’t be able to hide from my defeat at the hands of my new rival.

 

Not even for one day.


	16. Snow in the Summer

“Why would she do that?” Emily ground berries in a mortar. She was gripping the pestle hard enough to whiten her knuckles.

 

“It’s okay.” The hoarse words burned my throat. “I think I deserved it.”

 

Emily stayed silent for a moment, churning the berry into a fine paste. “I don’t know,” she said. “What could you’ve done to deserve that?”

 

I laid back into the grass to avoid making eye contact with her. The small hill we’d found a place to hide from the chaos of Hearthome belonged to Amity Square. On our perch we could see the entire town, still celebrating Jude and Dawn’s victories. I should be proud of them.

 

“I lied to them.”

 

Emily sighed. “About what?”

 

I knew this part was coming. Do I lie again? Do I try to play the part of Suzy Langford from Twinleaf? Do I try to explain I’m from another world? Do I just stop trying to make connections?

 

“About who I am,” I sniffled. “This might sound weird, but I’m-”

 

God, what am I doing?

 

“I’m from another world.”

 

“That sounds like a steaming pile of bullshit.” Emily chuckled, not paying the statement much mind. “If you don’t want to talk about it that’s fine.”

 

“No.” I sat up, staring at her. My throat still seared and my eyes had started to swell from crying. “I’m telling the truth.”

 

“Adel, come on,” Emily said. “Okay, if you’re from another world what’s it called?”

 

“Earth,” I responded, wiping away the tears from my cheeks. “It’s called Earth, I’m from a country called Canada, in a city called Vancouver.”

 

“Well-“

 

“There aren’t any Pokemon there.”

 

Emily examined me for a moment. She didn’t look upset; she was evaluating me. “How’d you get here?” She slid forward.

 

“I don’t know, one second I was in bed, the next I was hurting and my vision faded and then I was here.” I cleared my throat.

 

“So how do Dawn and Jude know you then?”

 

“I replaced someone who lived here, her name is Suzy Langford,” I found her gaze and held it as tightly as I could. “I see her sometimes when I sleep, or sometimes I can just get myself there, but it’s hard. She said that I chose to go here but I don’t remember any of that.”

 

“That must’ve been hard.”

 

“When I first got here, everyone thought I was Suzy Langford. She was Jude’s childhood friend. She was, uh, Dawn thought I was her too.” My voice grew meek, shameful, even. “They’d dated before.”

 

“So then, when she saw you?”

 

“She thought I was her,” I confirmed.

 

“What did you say?”

 

Well.

 

I guess it’s now or never.

 

“Honestly? I went along with it. I was scared, I was alone. I thought I might’ve been dead. Someone was truly interested in me and I let that happen. Because I was scared of having a difficult conversation.” My shame ignited into an anger I hadn’t felt since leaving Eterna. An anger with myself.

 

I waited for her answer, and for a while it didn’t come. Emily looked at her own hands, mindlessly fumbling with her fingers before drawing her conclusion.

 

“Honestly Adel,” she said. “That’s pretty shitty.”

 

She’s right.

 

“I get why they’d be upset. How couldn’t they? I mean… Wow that’s a lot to unpack.”

 

I would’ve been, had it been me.

 

“That being said.” Her eyes raised to meet my own. “I mean, damn. I get it.”

 

“You get it?” A million thoughts raced through my mind at once.

 

“Well, yeah. I mean if you told me I’d feel like I was dying and then woke up in another girl’s bed in a different world. I mean, I don’t know what I’d do. But my first option wouldn’t be to start explaining that to everyone around me,” she reasoned. “I’m not going to tell you what you did was right. But I get why it happened.”

 

I shook my head. “I know what I did was wrong. I don’t blame them for how they feel.”

 

“How’d they find out?” Emily’s voice grew quieter as she pressed further towards me, staining her dress against the grass as she did. “What gave it all away?”

 

Even being asked about it caused pressure to build in my nose. I shut my eyes, and when I did I could hear the sirens in Eterna. The rain falling hard against my shoulders. The look of fear on Jude’s face when he realized he hadn’t been speaking to his childhood friend.

 

“I lost a Pokemon.” The words didn’t come easy, but all the same I forced them from the pit welling in my stomach. Emily wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in closer. Her touch left warmth behind, and as she cupped the back of my head I could hear her steady heartbeat softly announcing her presence.

 

“I understand.” she whispered. “I’m sorry Adel.”

 

We sat together for a few more minutes before I managed to stop crying. Normally I’d feel embarrassed for having leaned on someone like that. As we separated, I wondered how I would explain all of this to Kate. If I’d ever see her again.

 

“So,” Emily’s voice snapped me back to her. Her blonde hair had all been flung over her right shoulder. She looked at me differently now. She saw all of me. “Another world, huh?”

 

“Y-yeah,” I said. “It’s all a bit much.”

 

“I always hoped there were other worlds out there.” She gazed up at the sky. She moved her hand atop mine. “That there was more to all of this.”

 

“I guess there is,” I told her. She turned to face me, and regarded me almost like she had her sheet music. Gently, and aware of its faults, yet, forgiving of them.

 

“Well I think that’s magical,” she responded. “And I get why you lied about who you were. How do you begin to explain that?” Emily’s thumb gently fumbled with my fingers. “I bet it feels good to finally tell someone what’s been going on.”

 

She was right. I needed to tell someone.

 

“Yeah,” I said. “It really does.” Before I knew it, a smile had made its way to my lips.

 

“You know,” Emily whispered, leaning in closer towards me. “You have the prettiest smile.”

 

A chill struck my spine as her words met the nape of my neck. My heartbeat tripled as I tried to create space between us, but her hand held my own so delicately, yet firmly. I hadn’t realized that I wasn’t smelling roses from the garden down the hill, but rather from her perfume. A light breeze brought a few strands of her golden hair gently brushing against my cheeks. Her eyes shut as she approached me, her second hand gliding up my collar to my chin. Her breath met my lips, shaky, nervous. She had stopped only centimetres from me, waiting for some sign that I wanted her.

 

I lifted my hands to her cheeks, brushing my fingers through her hair. Before long, I too had become entangled in her presence, her proximity.

 

I held her tightly. We shared a single breath between us.

 

“My knight in shining armour,” Emily mused. We absently watched the stars. They were so much brighter here; I don’t think I’d noticed that before. The cold air hardly bothered either of us, our warmth more than made up for what was lacking. Emily turned to face me, laying on her side. “From another world.”

 

“I mean, I still lost the fight.” I shrugged.

 

“But you took the fight. You didn’t need to volunteer to fight in front of all those people.” She had a way of turning my self-depreciation around. I was- well it was charming.

 

“Hey, what time is it?” I asked, taking Emily somewhat off-guard.

 

“Uh, it’s.” Emily pulled her wrist up to her face, which was illuminated in an emerald glow. “Eight. Why?”

 

“Well you know when you defeat a gym battle, they usually give you a bunch of cash. I’ve still got quite a bit.” I sat up and Emily followed my movements.

 

“What’re you thinking?” She asked, her eyes flitting between my own.

 

“I’m thinking we go to the nicest restaurant in town and don’t let that swanky dress go to waste,” I said, surprising even myself a little. It was crazy what making out in the moonlight could make a person say.

 

“Say no more.” Emily snatched my hand and yanked me to my feet, holding onto her heels in her other hand. We took off running out of Amity Park and back onto the cobblestone streets that marked the entrance to Hearthome. The streets were painted in swathes with discarded confetti, streamers, and balloons. We ran past all of it. But, Emily slowed down as we approached a building. She seemed confused by its presence. It was a red-brick three story structure with a large window protected by an awning that had seen better days. The interior was lit by amber candlelight and the entire place was empty.

 

“Is this the place?” I asked, peering inside greedily taking in the smells wafting out of the ajar door.

 

“It wasn’t, I’ve never heard of this place.” Emily said, bewildered. “But it looks beautiful, and there’s no one else inside.”

 

“Let’s be spontaneous!” I started to pull Emily towards the door. “Come on…”

 

“Okay, sure!”

 

When we entered, a small bell rang above the tired wooden door. The chime brought forth a voice from the kitchen.

 

“Good evening! Please take a seat wherever you’d like!”

 

“I can’t believe this place,” I whispered as Emily slid into the velvet booth seat and I sat across from her.

 

“Honestly I thought I would’ve heard of it before.” Emily said, a little in awe. “It’s so nice.”

 

“Hey, listen.” I reached forward and grabbed hold of one of Emily’s hands with both of my own. “I barely know anything about you, let me ask you a few questions.”

 

“I’m an open book.” Emily winked.

 

Shit.

 

That was so strong.

 

“Right, uh, do you guys have 20 questions here?” I asked.

 

“Nope.” She looked unfazed.

 

“Okay, well the basic rules are I ask you 20 questions.”

 

“Right.”

 

“And you answer them.”

 

Emily looked at me for a second, cocking her head to the right. “That’s a real game?”

 

“I mean, yeah it kind of is, anyway.” I had never considered the validity of twenty questions before.

 

“Alright,” she ran her thumb once more along the back of my hand. “Hit me.”

 

I smirked. “Where are you from?”

 

“Kalos,” she feigned a frown. “Weren’t you listening back at my performance?”

 

“The town,” I clarified with a throaty chuckle.

 

“Ever heard of Lumiose City?”

 

I nodded. “Yeah, in my world it’s a recreation of a city named Paris.”

 

“Well in this one, it’s the fashion capital of the world.” Emily smirked. “Where else do you think I could’ve gotten such a beautiful dress?”

 

“Tell me about your tattoos.” I was quick to change the subject . “What do they mean to you?”

 

“Ooh, okay.” Emily separated her hand from my own, pushing her arm fully out onto the table. “This tattoo is of a pretty rare Pokemon,” she started.

 

“Ho-Oh, yeah. Johto Region Pokemon.”

 

Emily looked at me with a bit of a pout. “I thought you said Pokemon didn’t exist in your world.”

 

“Well they exist, but just as a children’s card game, TV show, and video game.”

 

“Oh,” she nodded. “Hey am I in them?”

 

“Nope.” I held her arm out straight to get a better look at the tattoo.

 

It featured a tower I recognized as the Bell Tower in Johto. The tower began at her wrist towering up to her elbow, with the Ho-Oh clutching it and spiraling around it. The plumage wrapped around the tower as it watched from its perch. The art was beautifully made, the tattoo must’ve taken hours to complete

 

“Anyway, I got this one during my time in Johto. I was washing dishes in Ecruteak Town. It’s a beautiful place, every building there is older than this restaurant. There’s a huge amount of preserved culture. I was down in the dumps, and I needed to reinvent myself. I needed to find a way forward and I think at some point I realized that if I wanted to keep going then I had to become someone I hadn’t been before.”

 

“I know the feeling,” I whispered.

 

“So this Pokemon is known for bringing the dead back to life, so I felt it made sense to kind of start my rebirth.” Emily’s voice was quiet, and contemplative. It was like she had said, she had nothing to hide. “Do you have any tattoos?”

 

“Oh, no I don’t. I don’t know if I could ever get one. I’m terrified of needles.” I laughed, trying to deflect the topic away from myself. “Any others?”

 

“I’ve got one more, yeah.” Emily nodded, a smirk forming on her lips. “Play your cards right, and maybe you’ll see it someday.”

 

“I don’t,” I stopped myself, and despite my best efforts my cheeks flushed cherry red. “Oh.”

 

“You’re cute, Adel.” Emily said, her lips pinched between her teeth. “A little easy to get flustered, maybe, but cute.”

 

Before I could form a flimsy defense of my bright red cheeks, the waiter approached our table. “Alright, well I thank you both so much for coming tonight.” The waiter began, but Emily and I were still staring at one another. “If I may, please do take a look at what the special tonight will be.”

 

A silver platter was placed with an intricate cloche molded from a sterling image of a Poke-Ball. The waiter gently uncovered the platter, on it were four simple Poke-Balls.

 

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” I felt a strong gust of wind hit me as I turned to face the waiter. Their purple hair was all I managed to spy before all the light vanished from the room. “Oh,” I started.

 

“What’s happening?!” Emily screamed, her fingernails digging into my wrist. We were left in near pitch-black and we were alone. But the hair made it unmistakable.

 

“Emily, I’m right here,” I hissed. I wanted to comfort her more, but I needed to confirm my suspicions. “Have you ever heard of Fantina before?”

 

“Yeah, their the gym leader in Hearthome,” Emily hissed. “Why?”

 

“Well, I think this might be their gym,” I winced. “Emily, my hand.”

 

Emily released some of the pressure, but she still held tight. “Sorry,” she whispered.

 

“Okay, next question.” I glanced in what I assumed her general direction was. “Are you afraid of the dark?”

 

“No!” She let go of my hand. I could hear how rapid her breathing was becoming. “I’m afraid of what’s in the dark.”

 

The distinction felt important to her.

 

“No problem,” I said quietly spinning Aerith’s Poke-Ball into my palm, enlarging it. “Aerith, help us out here!”

 

The Ponyta ignited in a burst of orange light, nearly perfectly replicating the candlelight we’d just lost. She quickly joined my side, freshly healed up from my last encounter with Dawn. She seemed to still be feeling the sting of defeat, but her flames were as hot as always. “Hey girl,” I let my hand run along her back as she whinnied.

 

“Oh, bless you.” Emily put a hand out towards Aerith to pet her. Aerith glanced up at me, seemingly asking my opinion on the blonde. I answered with a smile and a nod, Emily’s hand passed through the flame like it was nothing. “Wow, what a friendly Ponyta!”

 

“She’s loyal,” I bent down onto a knee, petting the Pokemon. “Okay girl, I need you to stay close to me in here, alright?”

 

Aerith’s only answer were the flames growing just a little bit brighter. The shadows retreated from the center of the dining room. On the far wall, I spied three doors, each with their own message on them.

 

Suzy on one. Adel on another, and Emily on the third.

 

I took Emily’s hand and we walked to the doors.

 

“What do you think it means?” Emily asked, running her fingers along her own name. The doors were seemingly made of some kind of metal, the names each marked with brass letters bolted into the doors.

 

“I’m not sure,” I hummed. “You can’t solve a riddle only based on the answers.”

 

“Well, let’s look at this. What are the similarities, and the differences?”

 

What were the similarities? All three names belonged to women, so that wasn’t one. Suzy and Adel both had four letters, compared to Emily’s five. I had pretended to be Suzy, but Fantina couldn’t have known that.

 

“I can’t quite figure this out.” I grumbled.

 

“Well you said you pretended to be Suzy, right?” Emily asked.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“And now you’re Adel.”

 

“Right,” I nodded.

 

“And I’m Emily,” she concluded.

 

“That’s right.”

 

We stood there, waiting for one another to provide an answer for about a minute before Emily broke the silence.

 

“Okay, I’m lost,” she shrugged.

 

“Fantina?” I called out, startling Emily. “What is this? How am I supposed to answer without being asked a question?”

 

The noise echoed back around me, providing me with nothing but my own words for guidance.

 

“Wait.” Emily walked over to the Suzy door. “Maybe that’s it?”

 

“What’s it?”

 

“Well, we have the answer,” she said. “So, what if Suzy has the question?”

 

Holy shit. “Emily you’re a genius!” I picked her up in a big hug, wrapping my arms all the way around her and holding her tight. “Okay, so I need to speak with Suzy, I’m going to need a little while.”

 

Emily and found a small section of the booth that was relatively comfortable, and I laid down. It was difficult to fall asleep with Aerith’s light flickering about, but I didn’t want to leave Emily alone in the darkness.

 

I focused on my breathing, and hers. I felt my chest rising and falling. I tried to remember the sound of the waves at Lake Verity to make my breathing, and that sound, one. I imagined my toes in the sand, the pajamas I’d be wearing when I got there.

 

I imagined her face. I could see it so vividly, just like mine, but less affected. Hopeful eyes and bright cheeks. The way she’d always think before speaking, pausing every few words to make sure she’d say the right thing, in the right way. I barely knew her; I’d shared probably less than two hundred words with her. But I felt as though I could hear her say-

 

“Adel?”

 

“Suzy!” Lake Verity welcomed me like snow in summer. It felt different. As if I wasn’t supposed to be here, and it knew that.. “I made it.”

 

“How did you do that?” She asked, mouth agape in shock.

 

“I kind of just thought about this place, and you.” I noted. I pulled at the sleeves of my pajamas to confirm that, yes, I am still in pajamas here.

 

“Oh, well, do you need something from me?” She asked.

 

“Yes! Two things, actually.” I took a seat on the shore and let the waves lap at my ankles, Suzy sat down beside me. “First, and I know this is going to sound weird. Do you have a question by any chance?”

 

“Well yeah, I did get a question. It was in the form of a constellation!” She said, pointing up towards the sky.

 

I glanced upwards and saw it. Silver celestial threads connecting each stellar body to one another, an impossible feat for someone like Fantina to do by herself. Yet, there it was. Plain as day.

 

Which of you is not being tested?

 

“I’m guessing it has something to do with the doors you and Emily are at right now?” Suzy asked.

 

“Yeah, I think I know the answer now,” I nodded.

 

“Okay, great. Second question.” I could feel my heartbeat picking up. “Suzy, before you mentioned I chose to go. Do you remember that?”

 

Suzy turned her gaze from me. She nodded, minutely, barely, but it was there.

 

“What did you mean by that?” I asked.

 

The waves stopped and Suzy froze. I glanced around us, and the ambient noise of Lake Verity had all but vanished. “Suzy?” I asked, my voice echoing a thousand times, rapidly. She looked at me like I had struck her, meek and scared.

 

“He doesn’t want me to tell you,” she whispered.

 

“W-who?” My voice once more rippled out like I’d thrown a pebble into a pond. A thousand perfect copies of my voice sung in a discordant echo that mocked me.

 

Suzy’s eyes turned to the edge of the woods. The woods that surrounded this lake. Mine did too. Piercing red eyes stared back at me.

 

A gust of wind blew into me, knocking me onto my back. My eyes shot open and I saw the moon, slowly increasing in size. It got bigger, and bigger until I realized it wasn’t growing.

 

It was falling.

 

It rocketed down towards Suzy and I. She gripped my hand tightly, huddled close, and whispered into my ear.

 

“By the Blessed and the Damned, I pray that you receive this minor gift.” Her words echoed back to one of my first visits to Lake Verity. “Stay alive. Remember there’s more than just-”

 

“Adel?! Are you okay?!” Emily shook me back to consciousness, back to the restaurant. Aerith stared at me, nibbling on my hand to make sure I was okay.

 

“What happened?” I asked, jutting up from my slumber and taking in the surroundings. Looking for some sign of change.

 

“You were crying, and struggling in your sleep.” Emily’s voice wavered, and Aerith looked concerned. “Are you okay?” She asked again.

 

What the fuck was that thing.

 

“Yeah,” I said. “I’m alright.” I looked in the corner of my vision, expecting it this time.

 

The Blessed and the Damned (1)

 

I once more, opened the menu.

 

Minor Gift: Catastrophe Sense. If you accept this gift, you will receive the ability to sense disaster and catastrophe. However, everything comes with a cost.

 

Do you wish to accept this gift?

 

“I do,” I didn’t think for more than a second.

 

“You do what?” Emily asked. The menu vanished, and with it, any sign of the irregular. I was alone with Emily and Aerith once more. I couldn’t explain that to her, not right now.

 

“I think I know the answer to the riddle.” I stood up and steadied myself against Emily. “Suzy got the question, you were right.”

 

“Really?” Emily asked. “There really is a girl you replaced in this world.”

 

“Yeah, it’s a lot to unpack right now,” I said. “We’ll talk more about it later.” I walked up to the door I believed to be the correct one and braced my hand against the doorknob.

 

“What was the question?” She asked.

 

“Who is being tested right now?” I answered. “Trust me on this one.”

 

“I trust you,” she gripped my hand.

 

Together, we walked through Emily’s door, and we were greeted with Fantina, sprawled out on a beautiful red chaise lounge that matched their mahogany tuxedo. The room itself was imposingly barren. All constructed of concrete, and completely featureless, save for the scars of battles past.

 

“Well hello lovebirds.” Fantina trilled. “I’m impressed you answered my riddle on your first try. That means she was right.” They eyed me, quite specifically.

 

“Is this still a gym battle?” I had no intention of giving Fantina more space than they needed.

 

“Of a sort, I suppose.” They produced four Poke-Balls, clutching each one between two fingers on their right hand. “But I’d like for this to be a double battle. If you wouldn’t mind entertaining me?”

 

Emily stepped forward, pulling a Poke-Ball out and enlarging it. She looked at me with a smile. “Let me help!”

 

“Where did you get that from?” I asked, bewildered looking at her dress.

 

“Oh, this dress has pockets!” She exclaimed.

 

“Oh no way?!”

 

Fantina cleared their throat, lazily rolling their eyes.

 

I nodded at them and withdrew my own Poke-Ball. “Right, let’s do it.”

 

Fantina threw their first Poke-Ball. A wispy cloud of smoke with an adorned pale white mask levitated effortlessly above the ground. The menu confirmed my suspicion that the Pokemon was a Duskull.

 

Emily released her own Pokemon in a flash the Politoed emerged from the Poke-Ball. It instantly leapt into a dance routine as it emerged, landing on the ground with jazz hands that would make any theatre major proud.

 

“No, not now!” Emily hissed. The Politoed looked back at her with a goofy grin and turned to face his opponent.

 

“Fascinating,” Fantina chided as they let their second Poke-Ball roll off the tips of their fingers. It bounced off the ground and they caught it back in their palm. The beam of light gave way to a Haunter, whose dislocated hands reached out towards the Politoed.

 

I kept a hand on Aerith’s back, not letting her move forward despite how I could feel her tensing for battle.

 

Instead, I produced a Premiere Ball covered in scrapes and dents. “Come on buddy,” I whispered into it before letting it loose. Vincent leapt out of the ball taking his place beside Emily’s Politoed.

 

“Your four Pokemon against my own, sound fair?” Fantina asked.

 

“Sure,” I grumbled. It didn’t matter how many Pokemon I was allotted. This wasn’t a choice anymore.

 

A discord of orders flew through the air as our Pokemon leapt at one another. Vincent quickly leapt to the right as the Haunter’s hands flew at him. He was too quick for such an obvious frontal assault. The Duskull quickly shot towards Emily’s Pokemon in an attempt to Astonish it, but the frog leapt above the attack.

 

“Shadow Punch.” I heard from across the room. The Haunter’s hands entered the shadow of the leaping Politoed and emerged from Vincent’s underside and landed squarely on his jaw.

 

“Bite!” Vincent heard my cry, and razed the hand with the darkness from his jaw. The Haunter yowled in pain as Vincent’s fangs sunk deeper into the Ghost Pokemon. It was in the red.

 

“Emily!” I shouted.

 

“Got it! Cerulean, Water Pulse!” The Politoed’s cheeks expanded multiple times over before releasing a gushing torrent of water that ripped into the Haunter, sending it careening to Fantina’s side. But I wasn’t done yet.

 

“Vincent, use Spark!” Vincent’s tail sent sparks careening left and right as he approached the Duskull, Fantina quickly swapped their Haunter out, but I was willing to bet I’d beat them.

 

“Mismagius, Psybeam.” Vincent’s form stopped in its tracks, he seemed to be struggling as if there was some great gale in front of him.

 

12/68

 

“Come back,” my hands flew to another Poke-Ball. “Reno!” The Crobat burst from the ball, ready to gnash its first victim.

 

“Magical Leaf.” Fantina commanded, as the Politoed fell towards the ground.

 

“Shit, Air Cutter!” Reno’s wings flapped intensely, and quickly as if he was slicing through the air. The leaves that Mismagius had shot outwards were intercepted by the razor-sharp wind.

 

“Thanks! Cerulean, use Hypnosis on the Mismagius!”

 

The Politoed began to whistle a delicate tune, staring into the eyes of the Ghost Pokemon before its own shut, softly. Reno immediately seized the opportunity to act of his own volition. His wings carried him faster than the Duskull could move and his teeth, seeping with shadow sunk into its mask. Fantina retrieved their second fainted Pokemon, their teeth gritted.

 

“Drifblim,” they commanded throwing the Poke- Ball. “End this.”

 

The fourth Ghost-Type Pokemon appeared in front of Cerulean, its emotionless eyes staring into its opponent’s. A breeze past by Emily and for a moment, I paid it no mind.

 

But I felt my strength leave me for a moment, and I dropped to a knee. Emily’s Politoed was in the red as well. She gritted her teeth, but managed to stay standing. “Cerulean, come back.” Emily pulled out a Poke-Ball that seemed to have a great deal of wear and tear. “Opal!” She shouted and the grey Eevee burst out from its ball.

 

“Watch my back,” she asked. “Bite!”

 

“Silver Wind,” Fantina countered. Opal charged towards it bursting through the wall of silver dust with only half of its hit points remaining. But it sunk its teeth into the Pokemon, latching on to it.

 

I can’t let that Mismagius hit Reno with Psybeam. I won’t. It’s still asleep. “Reno, bite the Mismagius!” The Crobat shot out towards the sleeping Pokemon and sunk its teeth in. Waves of darkness roiled out from its maw and the Mismagius dipped into the red. Just barely holding on.

 

“Just like your performance!” I nodded at Emily, she nodded back. I saw Opal take a sniff of the air. I had to trust she knew what she was doing.

 

“Drifblim, Silver Wind on the Eevee once more.”

 

“Get there first Reno!” The Crobat lanced forward, spinning into a dive and tearing through the wall of powder the Drifblim had created.

 

50/76

 

Opal launched herself into the hole he created, moving away from the Drifblim and towards the Mismagius.

 

“Bite!” Reno let his wings unfurl as he descended on his approach to the Drifblim. He came to a sudden stop, flapping immediately above the Drifblim before tackling it to the ground and chomping down on its skull. Had the Pokemon not been a Ghost type, it would’ve been a horrible sight.

 

“Mismagius,” Fantina’s voice called out. The Pokemon’s eyes shot open. “Psybeam the Crobat.”

 

That would do it. If that attack landed, Reno’s meager defenses wouldn’t hold.

 

He would be the next Barrett.

 

I felt my legs begin to move as I sprinted towards my Pokemon. I wouldn’t lose another.

 

“Quick Attack!” Emily’s shout preceded Opal, who burst outwards as if she was launched by some invisible force. She collided into the Mismagius with a sickening smack, the Pokemon flew backwards and rolled to a stop in front of Fantina.

 

“Holy shit.” I said, my ears still filled with the sound of my pulse.

 

“We did it!” Emily screamed, smashing into me with a huge hug. I wrapped my arms around her as she picked me up off the ground and twirled me around. “Oh my Arceus, I can’t believe we did it!”

 

“You did it.” Fantina confirmed, keeping a wary glance on Emily as they approached the two of us. “And you earned yourself the Relic Badge.”

 

“Thank you,” I said, and I reached a hand out to them.They gently let the small piece of metal fall into my palm.

 

I did it.

 

I won.

 

We won.

 

“No, thank you both.” They said with a warm smile. “Now get out of my restaurant.”

 

Emily and I found ourselves walking alone nearing the middle of the night in the now truly vacuous streets of Hearthome. Our stomachs were both growling, but at this hour I had no clue where to get food. Aside from that, it was done. The contest, the gym challenge. The question that pervaded the silence between us was, of course, what now?

 

“Hey,” Emily spoke first. “Are you going to keep doing the league challenge?”

 

I spied a look at her from the corner of my eye. She seemed upset. But I wasn’t very good at reading people. “Yeah,” I responded. “I think so.”

 

I could feel walls rising to meet Emily’s gaze. The very same that I’d put up to protect myself before. That I’d neglected to raise against Dawn.

 

“Good.” She nodded at the sentiment, as if to approve it. “That’s good,” she convinced herself. “I’m going to be competing in the Sinnoh Contest Circuit. So, I’m going to be travelling as well.” She trailed off for a second, looking for the words that matched her intentions.

 

“I guess that means this is goodbye,” I said. Her eyes fell to the ground. “For now,” I added.

 

“Yeah.” She pulled me into a hug. It had a strange finality to it. I held her close and cupped her head, pulling it against my shoulder.

 

“For now.” She repeated in my ear.

 

We stood there for a minute. Alone, in the aftermath of Hearthome’s festivities.

 

I shouldn’t have kissed her earlier. What was I expecting? Snow in the summer?

 

We parted and I feigned a smile to try and comfort her. She did the same.

 

I began to walk away. One step at a time.

 

“Adel!”

 

“What?”

 

“The next show is in Veilstone. In a week!” She took a step forward. “Will you be there?”

 

A smile brought itself to my lips, and I closed my eyes. “Yeah. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

 

For some reason, as we looked at one another, I thought about Kate. I hoped she had moved on – that she had found someone after I vanished. I was doing this to get back to her, right? Was that why I was doing this?

 

“I’ll be there.”


	17. I Didn't Think Most People Believe That Old Myth

Rain-spat and sweat covered, I pushed on through the tough marshland between Hearthome and Solaceon Town. The bridges I’d remembered from the games had long since given way to weather and wear, leaving only swollen swamp as my pathway. I’d had Aerith guiding me earlier, but now she along with my other Pokemon and a very delicate egg were resting within my pack, carefully nested beneath a thick sweater I’d purchased before leaving Hearthome. I didn’t know if rain and marshland could really hurt her. But I wasn’t keen on that risk, either.

 

The pine trees and snow dappled mountains had more recently given way to immense precipitation and a white noise that emulated silence. What once was so carefully crafted with fine brushstrokes and gentle hands was now paint flicked at a canvas. Pollock would be proud.

 

“Y’alright over there?” A man’s voice called through the storm. He wore rubber waders that reached his thigh and a once bright yellow jacket that was now mud-brown through time spent in this area.

 

The deluge threatened to drown my response to him, pounding my temple as I tried to gain equal footing. “I’m okay!” I called back.

 

I guess I wasn’t really being honest. But, I didn’t know this guy. I’m not going to just ask for his help.

 

“Please,” he withdrew a Poke-Ball from his pocket. His hands were practiced, and worn. They gently tossed the ball behind them after pressing the release mechanism. Blinding white light gave way to a coiling trunk-like neck. The Pokemon’s wings which looked like palm fronds spread outwards, protecting the area underneath from the rain.

 

I didn’t need much more convincing than that.

 

I pushed forward through the mud, each step forcing the mud release my foot as I struggled through the swamp.

 

I took shelter beneath the lush foliage of the Tropius’ wings. Its head craned down towards me, inquisitively prodding at my pack, but I didn’t pay it much mind. I rested a hand on its neck, petting it as the man who’d beckoned me pulled out what look like an old fishing rod.

 

“Grey skies like these,” he mumbled. “Good for fishin’.” He pulled a small Poke-Ball from his pocket and carefully attached it to the end of the line. With a single motion that was fluid, practiced he cast the line out towards the marshy water covered in lily pads.

 

He had more wrinkles on his face than anyone I’d ever seen before. A lightning flash illuminated the road map of many long days out in these elements, his skin was like a tired leather. His hands were rough as well, covered in small scars that looked like they were from fishing line. A career fisherman from the Pokemon universe, huh?

 

I don’t know what I’d expected but it still felt so weird to me, being here.

 

“Yeah, do you catch much in these kinds of storms?” I asked.

 

“Magikarp,” he burped. “In a storm there’s less Pokemon trying to eat em’.” He pulled out a bit of pink bait-like substance and tossed it into the water, but nothing moved except for the rain on the water’s surface.

 

It was hypnotic. The rain dashing against the marsh water, and the lily pads, beading against their brims.

 

“You do this often?” I asked, clearing a small place beside the fisherman.

 

He turned to me with a flicker of youth in his eye, a wry smile cracked through his parched lips. “You flirtin’ with me?”

 

“What?” I lurched away from the man, my head dipping into the rain for a moment.

 

“I’m just foolin’” he turned back to the pond with a bit of a chuckle, as if he’d been planning that line for years. “Yeah, I’m fishin’ here every day.”

 

Some Magikarp lazily made their way to the top of the marsh, slowly nibbling at the bait laid out for them. “I wonder why they don’t learn. You taking one each day from the same marsh.” I propped my chin on my elbows, leaning towards the Magikarp.

 

“I think they want out.” The man brought a crooked finger to his nose, scratching it some before pointing to where I'd come from. "It’s not a big marsh.”

 

No, it isn’t.

 

It was probably only about 100 feet from end to end.

 

“I feed ‘em every day too. I bet they know me as much as I know ‘em.” He felt a small tug on his rod, but he didn’t react to it. I peered out towards the lilies trying to see what was pulling on the line. “That one’s always testing the lure. Think he’s their papa.”

 

His voice against the unstoppable deluge was like sandpaper and coffee, a sort of grating and soothing experience that made me enjoy when he spoke.

 

“Huh.” I nodded at his sentiment. “One day wouldn’t they become Gyarados?”

 

The man cocked an eyebrow out towards the marsh, but I got the idea it was in regard to what I’d said. “I didn’t think most people believe that old myth.”

 

That’s a myth, huh? I guess he isn’t exactly a scientist or something.

 

“Yeah, I’m a believer,” I agreed. I reached into my pack and pulled out a small bowl with a tinfoil cover on it. “Here, it’s the least I can do. Some left over curry I made a day ago.”

 

The man nodded at me, resting his rod against the Tropius’ leg as he reached out for the pot. He let a slow hand trail down the Tropius’ leg it reacted by pushing its head up against him, keeping its wings vigilant to keep us out of the rain. “You fish much?”

 

“I don’t, no.” I turned away from his gaze, rubbing a shoulder to further block my embarrassment from him.

 

His response was mired by a grumble, but all the same he took his rod back up and handed it to me. “Go ahead.”

 

“I really don’t know what I’m doing.” My tone changed from one of embarrassment to an apology. “I’m sorry, I’m worried I’d just break it or something.”

 

“I got others,” was his only response. He turned back towards the marsh. “Just keep it steady and pull when I tell ya.”

 

I gripped the rod awkwardly, holding it close to my chest, almost hugging it. I waited for something to yank on it, for something to leap out of the water at me maybe. I’d never fished.

 

Vancouver has a pretty big fish market, a few really. I’d shopped there before; Kate’s dad was a fisher. But I myself had never fished.

 

I owned fighting fish once. But one killed the other and I cried until my mom flushed it down the toilet. I was willing to hazard a guess this wouldn’t be quite like that.

 

The wait brought a reflectiveness to me that I wasn’t prepared for. I found myself thinking about Lake Verity. About what that voice had belonged to. About who that voice was.

 

My game knowledge sent shivers down my spine, but I knew by now not to expect the expected. Certainly not when it had something to do with all of this… This weirdness. Catastrophe sense, huh? What the hell did that mean, anyway.

 

Like if there’s an earthquake am I going to get some kind of pop up letting me know? That seemed odd, and, not really useful.

 

…

 

Fishing takes a hell of a long time.

 

I bet Barrett would’ve loved this kind of thing.

 

I took a deep breath and let my arms relax a little.

 

A small force nearly knocked me over and ripped the rod from my hands.

 

“That’s it, then. Yank it.” The fisherman chuckled, leaning forward so much he could fall into the pond. I pulled the rod back towards me with all my might, falling backwards a little in the process. A smaller Magikarp flew out of the water, its mouth securely around the Poke-Ball-like Lure. It landed securely in my lap its slimy, somewhat muddy exterior nearly causing me to retch. “I’d say you’re a natural.” He congratulated me.

 

It took me no time at all to rip a Poke-Ball out of my pack and smack the Magikarp with it. The Pokemon barely put up any resistance against the capture, the Poke-Ball clicked shut and before I’d realized it, I’d caught my allotted Pokemon for the route.

 

“Come on,” he called back over his shoulder. He slowly took to his feet, his Tropius helping him with its powerful neck before he retrieved its Poke-Ball. “My town ain’t too far,” he said. His Tropius offered me a sort of apologetic look as he tapped it.

 

The rain collided back with me all at once. My barely dry form now reacquainted with the downpour, I nodded at him and followed him the relatively short distance to Solaceon.

 

The town’s most notable feature was obelisk fingers jutting forth from the soil in an attempt to reach the heavens. Small buildings that all seemed to be made of lumber and reinforced from the elements through local foliage were scattered around the small valley that made up the settlement. A small teenager with long brown hair and storm cloud eyes stared at me as I walked past her. I offered her a smile but she returned it with a cautious glare.

 

“Don’t mind her, bit of an odd Ducklett.” The fisher yawned, approaching one of the buildings. “It’s a guest house for trainers wanderin’ through. Feel free to stay the night if you want.”

 

I glanced up at the sky. It was hard to tell just how much daylight I’d have left from now, but it didn’t seem like much at all. Perhaps an hour at most? “I will, thanks.”

 

He nodded to me before taking his slow plodding leave.

 

I entered the small building I’d been left by the man. It smelled like mildew, but for the most part it looked clean, and importantly, dry.

 

I let a sigh off my chest, before beginning to unpack the essentials for the stay. I let each of my Pokemon out of their balls as I began to make the bed. It was a creaky and rather dull piece of furniture, but not too different from what I’d grown accustomed to staying in Pokemon Centers so far.

 

Reno took to the rafters in a hurry, latching onto and hanging from them. Tifa and Vincent were busy inquisitively studying the Magikarp I’d just caught. I glanced over at the runt of the litter, or I guess runt of the school?

 

The proper phrase was lost on me. But I knew exactly which character from Final Fantasy the flopping fish reminded me of. “Your names Cait from now on,” I beckoned to the Magikarp. “Tifa, Vincent, protect Cait for me, okay?”

 

My two Pokemon grunted with absolute loyalty, and perhaps literality. They immediately took a defensive position in front of the clueless fish. Aerith, however, took the time to lay down on the floor surrounding the egg that we’d brought from Eterna.

 

I knelt down with the Ponyta and let my arm rest on the small of her back, her warmth welcomed me. “I know you’ll take care of this one once she hatches, won’t you?”

 

She huffed a little and shook her head before resting it too on the top of the egg.

 

“Yeah. Me too.” I took a glance at my soon to be full team. “I’ll protect all of you.”

 

A knock at the door shook me from my peace and the rains dance alone the rooftop returned to my senses. “Pardon me,” a woman called.

 

I walked up the door, each of my Pokemon keeping an eye on me as I did. Save for Cait who had somehow managed to get wrapped up in a blanket from the bed.

 

I opened the door and was greeted with what looked to be an older woman standing at the door with a small basket.

 

“Pardon the intrusion, I heard from Malek that you’d be staying here tonight.” She lowered her hand into the basket and produced a small mason jar filled with a honeydew-tinted fluid. “We wanted to give you a gift, something small that we give to each of the passersby that come through Solaceon Town.”

 

“Oh wow, thank you so much!” I reached out and grabbed the mason jar. A slight tingle ran up my spine and nestled in my head. I recognized it the sensation as a warning, I was going to get a migraine soon.

 

“You’re very welcome, dear. I will pray that Palkia and Dialga watch over you and keep you free from worry.” She bowed a little, her seemingly delicate form was surprisingly graceful.

 

I wonder if they were giving me this because I told that old guy I believed in myths.

 

“Thank you, you as well.” I tried to replicate her bow, though it looked more satirical than respectful.

 

I shut the door and walked back to my team.

 

I sat down on the bed, Aerith and Tifa approached me. I picked Cait up and began to unwrap my fish from her blanket burrito. “It’s okay, we all have those days,” I whispered to her. “Something doesn’t feel right.” I said aloud.

 

None of my Pokemon responded, how could they? Dawn, Emily, Jude, none of them were here to help me. To tell me why I had this feeling.

 

I brought the jar to my face, glancing into it. It was a greenish yellow hue and effervescent. It seemed pretty normal though. “I’m probably just over tired.” I let the jar down on the bed side table and one by one I returned my Pokemon to their respective balls. It seemed I’d been wrong about my migraine, it hadn’t come and even the small tingle I’d had earlier was gone now too. I wrapped the egg in the sweater I’d bought from Hearthome and carefully tucked it into my pack with my Poke-Balls. I figured the best way to quell my worries about Solaceon was to get an early morning and create some distance between me and it.

 

But as I laid my head down on my pillow, I felt curiosity chip through my attempts to empty my mind. “Ugh whatever.” I picked up the jar and quickly unscrewed the top. Once it was unscrewed I held it at arm’s length away from me. I carefully spilled some of the fluid onto the ground.

 

It didn’t burn through it like acid.

 

Well, okay, how bad could it be?

 

I brought the jar a little closer and took a small, careful inhale.

 

I guess it sort of smelled like mango? Maybe something else? Papaya?

 

I don’t not know for sure though.

 

I tried to fall more back on towards the bed but.

 

But? But the room’s spinning me am I can’t really breathe in?

 

I did my can breath.

 

I can’t, my.

 

Inky blackness overtook seeped through all my senses, and I was alone.

 

Drifting.

 

But I’m not alone, am I?

 

The thought is foreign to me. It doesn’t belong to me. But it feels like me.

 

The abyss gives way to something that still feels like me. It is me. I see Suzy, and I see me.

 

We are together, wearing pajamas and winter gear.

 

We are standing beside each other. We are together in our loneliness, and we are facing something terrible.

 

Something massive.

 

A single red eye shifts my void from inky blackness to a red. So hot I feel like I’m melting. I’m burning.

 

The eye stares unblinkingly at me. At Suzy and me.

 

It is hurt, I think. Wounded, maybe.

 

It yearns for something impossible to give. It seeks alternatives in us, but its frustration is palpable. I can feel it violently radiate off of the red glow from its eye.

 

“Then I’ll go!” The Adel I am watching screams at the eye. “I’ll beat you at your own game and take us home!”

 

As the eye begins to respond I feel every atom quiver under raw unbridled power. Its eye is bigger than most buildings and even the breath it brings to bear against us threatens to pulverize my essence into ash.

 

“Petulanccccceeeeee. My favourite.” It hisses like I imagine a devil would. It ekes flavour from my discomfort and threatens to consume the world raw in its words. It only whispers but the volume covers everything at once. “Suzy Adel Beauchamp, you have forged this deal with me. I will witness your struggle and you in turn will bear the fruit of true labour. You will hurt. I will hurt you. And when I am done you will beg me to stop. This fruit will break you to bear.”

 

I watch as I stand there. My legs shake and my chest struggles to hold air. But I stand in defiance. I open my mouth, and take a deep breath. Suzy squeezes my hand.

 

“Fuck you Giratina.”

 

A splitting headache shot through my spine and into my head, it felt like my head was being ripped in half.

 

I lurched out of the bed, clutching myself as I felt a warmth descending down my lips and over my chin. I could taste the blood.

 

“What? How are you awake?” A quiet voice that I don’t know spoke up.

 

I only had instinct and adrenaline and anger. I remember it now. But I can’t deal with that.

 

My hand rips a Poke-Ball from my pack and in a burst of light Tifa is blocking the door. Blocking it from the short teen.

 

“You’re that girl,” I pant. My breath is slowly finding my lungs.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” She hid her face in her hands and cowered in front of the Gabite. Tifa glanced up at me with a look of concern.

 

“What.The. Fuck?” I gritted my teeth against the steel in my voice.

 

I seriously consider punching the daylights out of a teen for about five seconds.

 

“I’m, t-they made me do it,” she whimpered. “I’m the fisher king’s line. That’s what he calls me.” Tears began to streak down her cheeks.

 

Fucking fisher king? Come the fuck, ON, Sinnoh. Fuck. FUCK.

 

“Okay. Fine. Do you want to leave?” I walked beside the girl and took hold of her shoulder. I’d have time to be gentle later.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Do you like this place?”

 

“I- I don’t.”

 

“Do you want to be a lure or a person?”

 

She looked up at me, wiping the tears off of her cheeks. She breathed in blubbers still but she steadied herself. “A person.”

 

“Come with me.” I yanked her out of the door with Tifa in tow.

 

“Adel, finally you’ve joined us.” The fisherman I’d met on 209 stood with about fifteen others, maybe the entire residency. His posture was no longer crooked, nor did he seem elderly. He stood tall, proud of himself. Of the catch he’d pulled in. “You see, I, the Fisher King-“

 

“Fuck you Fisher King. I’m leaving and I’m taking her with me.” I pushed the girl behind me. I had zero plans for adoption at the beginning of today, but I was in a raise hell attitude.

 

“I don’t care much about the kid.” While his demeanor had shifted, his drawl hadn’t. “We intend to sacrifice you to Palkia, Dialga and should he see fit to take you, Giratina.”

 

A coldness crept down my spine, a presence. He was watching this.

 

“You wanna do this right now? Fine. Fuck it.” Tifa understood my intentions. She walked up to my side and let out a piercing shriek.

 

“Tropius.” The command echoed into the valley, some of the foliage that stood behind them shifted and I saw the once kind gaze, now dead cold staring out at me. My legs still shook underneath the weight of my body and the poison coursing through me. I didn’t have time for eloquent tactics. I could pass out any second. But I wasn’t afraid. I just wasn’t.

 

“Fuck him up.” My Pokemon screeched once more, diving into the Earth and swimming through it towards the Tropius.

 

“Fly above her Pokemon and use-“

 

“Sandstorm.” Mud and dirt shot in every direction from Tifa, the girl behind me shielded her eyes, I reduced mine to a squint.

 

“Clear this with your wings!” The Fisher King’s voice faltered for a moment.

 

The Tropius began to flap hard against the sandstorm, but it couldn’t prevent the weather from taking place. I knew that already though, you’d need defog.

 

Its health bar moved slightly further down as a fairly large stone smacked into my shin. But I buried the pain and focused.

 

“Use Leaf Tornado!”

 

I’ll let it hit.

 

The Tropius dove down towards Tifa with a scream I could barely hear about the whipping of mud all around me. Razor sharp fronds broke free from its wings and scattered towards Tifa. They struck Tifa, but she too buried it. She let out nary a grunt while she awaited my command.

 

65/79

 

“Should be close enough now.”

 

“For what?” The girl asked from behind me, still trying to withstand the storm she’d created.

 

“Shadow Claw.” I answered and commanded. Tifa leapt into the air beside the Tropius and shimmered out of sight. Another tick of hit points left the bar as the mud and rocks slammed into both Tropius and myself. The girl behind me managed to stay relatively unharmed by using me as a meat shield, but I didn’t really care.

 

“Tropius! Wait and use hurricane when it reappears,” The Fisher King cried.

 

But I knew it was too late.

 

Tifa’s long single claw cut through the Tropius like a scythe through grass. Quick and effortless. A gentle culling, as the Tropius landed in the mud with a dull thud.

 

GOOD.

 

I heard the voice call to me from my own spine. Like the sound of charcoal being pulverized into diamonds, the sheer weight of its voice made my body ache. I turned to face the girl behind me, she stood mouth agape in awe of what she’d just seen. I grabbed her hand, hard and bolted off as fast as I could. Tifa was quickly swimming beside us, dipping in and out of the mud and soil as if she was a dolphin. I heard the townspeople screaming something from behind me, but I ran into the six-foot tall grass of Route 210 until the blood pounding in my ears drowned them out.

 

I collapsed on the ground, blood still trickling from my nose and head still pounding. Words appeared in the corner of my vision.

 

Catastrophe averted.

 

My headache faded as soon as I read them.

 

That’s my warning sign? A debilitating headache? Giratina you absolute prick.

 

Tifa kept watch from the direction we came as we rested for a moment.

 

While the headache was mostly gone, the poison was still in my system to some extent. I could feel nausea and pain fight for dominance of my attention. For a few minutes I just panted, barely even able to do that.

 

“Hey.” My hand searched the ground for anything. It wrapped around a stick and I threw it at the teenager hard enough to get her attention but not enough to hurt. “What the hell?”

 

“They wanted to sacrifice-“

 

“No. No, I don’t want to hear any of that shit. I don’t. Enough of that.” My chest rose as hard as it fell, each movement replacing the other in a half second.

 

“What do you want me to say then?” She asked, pressing her back against the tree and closing her eyes. I felt for her, of course. She was indoctrinated into some insane sacrificial death cult about Palkia and Dialga. But, at the same time I still wanted to lay her out.

 

“How about a name?” I asked.

 

“My name is Hilda.”

 

“Oh,” I said. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”


End file.
